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"Behold,
I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with
him, and he with Me."
Rev. 3: 20
The Sacrament of Repentance
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Repentance and remission of sins is one of the seven
sacraments of the New Law ordained by our Lord when He
breathed on His disciples, saying: "Receive the Holy
Spirit. If you forgive a man his sins, they shall be
forgiven to him; and if you withhold forgiveness of a
man's sins, they are kept. (John
20:22-23)"
This
sacrament was ordained of our Lord in the form of a law,
giving power and authority to His ministers to declare and
pronounce absolution to the faithful who confess and
repent of sins willingly committed after baptism.
The
faithful repenter should consider the many sins which he
or she committed and must truly and earnestly repent of
them. One should then confess them to the priest without
concealing or hiding them and, consequently, accept the
canonical penalty.
General Exhortations
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The
priest should be well acquainted with the divine as well
as the ecclesiastical laws that he may be able to
determine whether or not this repenter is worthy of
absolution. Consequently, the priest, in the likeness of
a spiritual physician, should treat the faithful
penitent and take great care for his or her soul's
health.
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The
priest should take great heed never to reveal anything
of the penitent's confession, but rather keep it secret
even until death.
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Whenever the priest is called to make confession to some
faithful repenters, he must show himself always ready to
respond to the call and to earnestly beseech the Lord
that he may be assisted to fulfill his service fittingly
and piously.
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The
confession ought to be made only in church. The priest
wears a stole around his neck and sits on a chair which
must be put in a special place so as to be seen by the
congregation. However, on account of sickness, or for
any other compelling reason, the priest is allowed to go
to the sick person's home who wishes to make confession,
but is unable to go to church. While the penitent is
making confession, the priest must be sitting in a
special place where he may be seen by those who are
present.
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If the
priest finds out that the penitent is not acquainted
with the fundamental truths of the Church, then he must
try to enlighten and instruct the person with such
truths at the time of confession, but if it would be
impossible, then he must do so at a more convenient
opportunity.
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If it
may happen that, by reason of extremity of sickness or
by any other impediment, one of the faithful is deprived
of the power of speech and is unable to make confession
except by making gestures to indicate his or her sins,
the priest should grant the individual absolution.
Prayer of Repentance
Have
mercy upon me, O Almighty Father, You do we praise and do
we bless. You do we worship, humbly kneeling, that You
should show us Your great mercy. O Christ, Fountain of
mercy, show me Your compassion on the day of judgment as
You did to the thief on the Cross, the publican and the
woman taken in iniquity. Amen.
Prayer Before Confession
O God,
Who does not will the death of the sinner, but rather that
he repent and live, I confess before You that I have
sinned before heaven and in Your sight, while enjoying
Your great goodness. By this ungratefulness have I fallen
from the estate of sons and am no more worthy to be called
a son of Your grace. Make me, O Father, as one of thy
hired servants. But blot out my transgressions in Your
mercy. Cleanse me from my sin. O Merciful Father, turn
Your face from my sins and look not upon my iniquities.
Cast me not from before Your face, O Gracious Lord. Rebuke
me not in Your anger, but listen to the voice of my
sorrow, O Lord, and look upon my tears. May they wash me
clean in Your sight, O God, for I do repent most humbly
and am heartily sorry for all that I have done wrong.
Moreover, I have determined not to return to the hateful
paths of sin again. Receive my confession and help me in
Your mercy and grace to live a life that brings Your glory
and praise. Amen.
Prayer Upon Confession of
Sin Before the Priest
I confess
to God the Father Almighty, and to His beloved Son, Jesus
Christ, and to the Holy Spirit, in the presence of our
Lady the Virgin, ever sacred in her virginity, and all the
holy angels, of Michael, of Gabriel, both chief of angels,
and St. John the Baptist, of the holy apostles St. Peter
and St. Paul, the twenty-four prophets, the twelve
apostles, the four evangelists and the seventy-two sent
forth.
I confess
the holy faith of the three Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea,
Constantinople and Ephesus in the most noble priesthood
ascribed unto You, Father Priest, by which You loose and
bind.
I have
sinned through all my senses, both inwardly and outwardly,
in word, in deed and in thought. My sin is great, very
great, and I repent of it most sincerely, purposing not to
fall again into the same ever, preferring death rather
than embrace sin. And I ask you, by the authority of the
sacred priesthood, that you absolve me and forgive, asking
God to pardon me through His grace. Amen.
Prayer of Absolution for the
Laity
The priest lays his right hand
on the head of the penitent and says:
May God have mercy upon you, and may He guide you to
everlasting life through the authority of priesthood which
was entrusted by our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples
who, in turn, entrusted it to their successors until it
was given me; I who am weak and sinful, absolve you,
brother (sister) of all the sins that you have confessed
and are repentant of them, as wellas of all the
transgressions which have escaped your memory in the Name
of the Father +, amen, and of
the Son +, amen and of the
Holy Spirit + for everlasting
life. Amen.
Prayer of Absolution for the
Clergy
May God,
Who blessed his holy disciples, bless you. May He preserve
you from all evil deeds and perfect you in the gracious
ones that you may be the keeper of His commandments and
the fulfiller of His laws. May He make you a chosen vessel
that is fit for the service of His glory. May you enjoy
peace in Him, and may He be pleased with you and according
to His Good Will, may you be blessed, absolved and
consecrated, in the Name of the Father
+, amen, and of the Son
+, amen and of the Holy
Spirit + for everlasting
life. Amen.
Prayer After Confession
O Lord
Jesus Christ, our great Physician, and Fount of mercy,
behold me now in Your presence, the blind to receive sight
within from You, to be healed of all my sickness and to be
made rich in my poverty. I believe that You have accepted
my confession and are pleased to acknowledge my
supplications; that You have forgiven me and cleansed me
from my sin. Ever do I render thanks to You, O Lord, and
Your praise is at all times upon my lips, in accordance
with the multitude of Your loving kindnesses. I beseech
You, by Your grace, to confirm me in my purpose and
promise that I may never return unto sin; and to grant me
triumph over all my temptations that I may love You alone
upon earth, and my spirit may be exalted in Your praise
until that day when I shall see You in Your heaven above
for ever more. Amen.
Prayer Before Receiving the
Holy Eucharist
O Bread
coming down from heaven to nourish everyone, grant that I
may partake of You in all pure desire, adoration and godly
fear. O happy Wine of Life, may I be intoxicated by Your
love. O You Who did cry, saying: "Whosoever is athirst let
him come to Me and drink," behold my soul in thirst has
come to You to be satisfied by the Water of Life. O God, I
am not worthy that You should come into my heart. Speak a
word to heal my soul which is athirst for You even more
than the thirst of the deer to the streams of water, O Cup
of Blessing and Salvation. O Heavenly Manna and Bread of
Life, dwell in me forever more. Amen.
Prayer After Receiving the
Holy Eucharist
With what
tongues shall I utter Your praise, O God, most high and
greatly to be praised, for this Your wondrous grace. It
passes all telling; for You have even been pleased to give
of Yourself to Your servant for nourishment; and have
rejoiced his heart with the wine of Your sacrifice. You
have sanctified me by Your Spirit, and have satisfied my
hunger from out of the bounty of Your house. My heart is
Your perpetual dwelling place that You may preside over
all my faculties and my desires, controlling them as You
will. And I beseech You that this my Communion increase my
faith and strengthen my trust in You that it rekindle the
fire of Your love within me, causing me to grow in every
virtue; that it be a weapon to shield me from all the
tricks of the enemy of my soul until I become one with You
in that life above where You are with all saints, so that
I may join in the chorus of praise and adoration to Your
Father and Your Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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What it is.
Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all
the ends of the earth: for I am God, and
there is none else.
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves
do not break through nor steal: For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these
things? We also are men of like passions with you, and
preach unto you that ye should turn from these
vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of
us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how
ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God;
Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth
so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God.
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Commanded to all by God.
Ezekiel 18:30-32 Therefore I will judge you, O
house of Israel, every one according to his ways,
saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves
from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be
your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions,
whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart
and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of
Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him
that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn
yourselves, and live ye.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God
winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to
repent:
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Commanded by Christ.
Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence
thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;
or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove
thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast
received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as
a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come
upon thee.
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Given by God.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they
held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath
God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those
that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give
them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
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Christ came to call sinners to.
Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that
meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I
am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.
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Christ exalted to give.
Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right
hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give
repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
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By the operation of the Holy
Spirit.
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house
of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall
look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall
mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only
son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one
that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
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Called repentance unto life.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they
held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath
God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
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Called repentance unto salvation.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the
sorrow of the world worketh death.
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WE SHOULD BE LED TO, BY
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Godly sorrow works.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the
sorrow of the world worketh death.
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Necessary to the pardon of sin.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be
converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the
times of refreshing shall come from the presence of
the Lord;
Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy
wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of
thine heart may be forgiven thee.
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Conviction of sin necessary to.
1 Kings 8:38 What prayer and supplication
soever be made by any man, or by all thy
people Israel, which shall know every man the plague
of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward
this house:
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall
not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh
them shall have mercy.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they
were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and
to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do?
Acts 19:18 And many that believed came, and
confessed, and shewed their deeds.
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PREACHED
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By Christ.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to
preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and
believe the gospel.
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By John the Baptist.
Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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By the Apostles.
Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached
that men should repent.
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and
also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
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In the name of Christ.
Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission
of sins should be preached in his name among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
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Not to be repented of.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the
sorrow of the world worketh death.
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The present time the season for.
Psalms 95:7-8 For he is our God; and we
are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of
his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not
your heart, as in the provocation, and as in
the day of temptation in the wilderness:
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There is joy in heaven over one sinner brought to.
Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy
shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,
more than over ninety and nine just persons, which
need no repentance.
Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is
joy in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth.
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Ministers should rejoice over their people on their.
2 Corinthians 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye
were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance:
for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye
might receive damage by us in nothing.
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Should be evidenced by fruits.
Isaiah 1:16-17 Wash you, make you clean; put
away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;
cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment,
relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for
the widow.
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SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY
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Exhortations to.
Ezekiel 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of
Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn
yourselves from your idols; and turn away your
faces from all your abominations.
Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O
house of Israel, every one according to his ways,
saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves
from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be
your ruin.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be
converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the
times of refreshing shall come from the presence of
the Lord;
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THE WICKED
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Averse to.
Jeremiah 8:6 I hearkened and heard, but
they spake not aright: no man repented him of his
wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one
turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the
battle.
Matthew 21:32 For John came unto you in the
way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but
the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye,
when ye had seen it, repented not afterward,
that ye might believe him.
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Not led to by the judgments of God.
Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which
were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of
the works of their hands, that they should not
worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and
brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can
see, nor hear, nor walk:
Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with
great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which
hath power over these plagues: and they repented not
to give him glory.
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Not led to, by miraculous interference.
Luke 16:30-31 And he said, Nay, father
Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead,
they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear
not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
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Neglect the time given for.
Revelation 2:21 And I gave her space to
repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
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Condemned for neglecting.
Matthew 11:20 Then began he to upbraid the
cities wherein most of his mighty works were done,
because they repented not:
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Danger of neglecting.
Matthew 11:20-24 Then began he to upbraid the
cities wherein most of his mighty works were done,
because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin!
woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works,
which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and
Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth
and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment,
than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted
unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the
mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been
done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for
thee.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
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Neglect of, followed by swift judgment.
Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence
thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;
or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove
thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 2:16 Repent; or else I will come
unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with
the sword of my mouth.
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Denied to apostates.
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for
those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of
the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the
powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away,
to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put
him to an open shame.
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Illustrated.
Luke 15:18-21 I will arise and go to my father,
and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be
called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was
yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed
him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned
against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son.
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off,
would not lift up so much as his eyes unto
heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner.
The Prodigal Son,
Luke 15:17-19 And when he came to himself, he
said, How many hired servants of my father's have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I
will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as
one of thy hired servants.
The Repentant Son,
Matthew 21:29 He answered and said, I will not:
but afterward he repented, and went.
Paul,
Galatians 1:23 But they had heard only, That he
which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the
faith which once he destroyed.
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True--Exemplified.
Israelites,
Judges 10:15-16 And the children of Israel said
unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us
whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we
pray thee, this day. And they put away the strange
gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his
soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
David,
2 Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I
have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto
David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt
not die.
Manasseh,
2 Chronicles 33:12-13 And when he was in
affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled
himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And
prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and
heard his supplication, and brought him again to
Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that
the LORD he was God.
Job,
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and
repent in dust and ashes.
Nineveh,
Jonah 3:5-8 So the people of Nineveh believed
God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from
the greatest of them even to the least of them. For
word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from
his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered
him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he
caused it to be proclaimed and published
through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his
nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor
flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink
water: But let man and beast be covered with
sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them
turn every one from his evil way, and from the
violence that is in their hands.
Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in
judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it:
because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and,
behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Peter,
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of
Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou
shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept
bitterly.
Zaccheus,
Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto
the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to
the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man
by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
Thief on the Cross,
Luke 23:40-41 But the other answering rebuked
him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art
in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we
receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath
done nothing amiss.
Corinthians,
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that ye
were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance:
for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye
might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly
sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh
death.
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False--Exemplified.
Saul,
1 Samuel 15:24-30 And Saul said unto Samuel, I
have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment
of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the
people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray
thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I
may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I
will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the
word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from
being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to
go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle,
and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath
rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and
hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is
better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will
not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that
he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned: yet
honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my
people, and before Israel, and turn again with me,
that I may worship the LORD thy God.
Ahab,
1 Kings 21:27-29 And it came to pass, when Ahab
heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put
sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in
sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the LORD
came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how
Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth
himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his
days: but in his son's days will I bring the
evil upon his house.
Judas,
Matthew 27:3-5 Then Judas, which had betrayed
him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented
himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned
in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they
said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple,
and departed, and went and hanged himself.
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