Salvation for Sinful Christians: The Sacrament of Confession | Father Dominic Langevin, O.P.
Jan 26, 2024
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Father Dominic Langevin, O.P. discusses the sacrament of confession, distinguishing between venial and mortal sins. The importance of examining one's conscience and acts of sin is explored. The concept of forgiveness and the role of confession in Christianity are highlighted, along with the biblical sources and ministers of the sacrament. Seeking Christ's mercy through confession and the grace of forgetting are emphasized.
The sacrament of confession is a means to restore and strengthen our relationship with God and his Church by addressing the separation caused by sin and offering a way to get out of guilt and moral failure.
The sacrament of penance involves stages of recognizing our sins, expressing remorse, confessing to a priest, receiving absolution, and undertaking acts of satisfaction to heal the wounds caused by our sins.
The sacrament of confession is important because it is commanded by Christ, provides a tangible way to express sorrow and receive absolution, requires effort for true reconciliation, and offers opportunities for growth in holiness.
Deep dives
The Sacrament of Confession and the Restoration of Relationships with God and the Church
The sacrament of confession, also known as penance or reconciliation, is a means to restore and strengthen our relationship with God and his Church. it addresses the separation caused by sin and offers a way to get out of the guilt and moral failure. Through confession, contrition, and expressing our sins to a priest, we receive forgiveness and begin the process of healing. The sacrament involves acts of reparation, such as making amends or doing good works to heal the wounds caused by our sins. The sacrament of confession is essential for seeking reconciliation with God and living a holy life.
The Process of the Sacrament of Penance
The sacrament of penance involves several stages, starting with the virtue of penance. This virtue helps us recognize our sins and express genuine sorrow and remorse. Confession follows, where we confess our sins and seek forgiveness from a priest. The priest, as God's minister, grants absolution and forgives us. After confession, we undertake acts of satisfaction, making up for the harm caused by our sins. Through sincere contrition, confession, and penance, we experience interior transformation and receive the grace of forgiveness, leading to reconciliation with God and the Church.
Why We Should Seek the Sacrament of Confession
The sacrament of confession is important because it is commanded by Christ and offers concrete means of receiving forgiveness. While we can ask God for forgiveness directly, confession provides a tangible way to express our sorrow and receive absolution. The sacrament involves effort and sacrifice on our part, as true reconciliation requires change and a commitment to a holy life. By engaging in confession and embracing the sacrament, we acknowledge the importance of forgiveness and the need to build a house fitting for God within ourselves. Additionally, being regular practitioners of the sacrament offers the opportunity for growth in holiness and gratefulness for God's forgiveness.
Jesus' call to repentance and forgiveness
Jesus commands his followers to repent and believe in the gospel, and he empowers them to forgive others. Through repentance, Christians can experience reconciliation with God and each other.
The sacrament of confession and its significance
The sacrament of confession is a communal means of obtaining divine forgiveness. It allows Christians to confess their sins and seek reconciliation with God through the priestly ministers appointed by Christ. The sacrament acknowledges the physicality and social nature of sin, provides a concrete opportunity for forgiveness, and offers a path for temporal punishment and spiritual growth.
This lecture was given on November 9th, 2023, at the University of Oregon.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events
About the Speaker:
Fr. Dominic Langevin is vice president and dean of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies, where he also serves as an assistant professor of systematic theology, specializing in sacramental theology. He did his undergraduate studies at Yale University and his doctoral studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He was formerly assigned as a parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Charlottesville, Virginia, serving the University of Virginia.
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