This is something I never asked anyone but always wanted to. In the early days of the Church you were only to recieve the sacrament of confession once in your lifetime. What if you fell into sin and then TRULY repented? Would you still go to hell? Even if you truly were in tears and anguish for your uncleanness against God and began following Him with all your heart? Why did the Church later change the practice?

-- Jason (Enchantedfire5@yahoo.com), December 30, 2004

Answers

bump

-- (bump@bump.bump), December 30, 2004.

Just to put some differences into perspective, confession in those days was reserved only for mortal sins which was a very short list such as adultery, homosexuality, fornication, murder and rejection of the faith. Normal sins were forgiven (as they are today) with simply asking God in prayer to forgive. And the list of mortal sins was not as extensive as it is today. In addition, the sinner did not confess to the priest in private, but to the priest and gathered congregation - publically. Forgiveness/absolution was not pronounced, but was assumed as the result of confession and completed penance - and penance took years<\u> to complete.

My personal opinion, which is non-Catholic, is that even if someone were to fall into a mortal sin a second time after having been forgiven once, that upon genuine confession/repentance to God, that God would indeed forgive. Knowing that the Church evolved confession to ultimately include the ability to forgive mortal sins more than once (as it does today), then I suspect that the Catholic Church would support this opinion to some degree or another. The only obstacle, that I can see, is that the power to forgive or NOT TO FORGIVE sin is held by the Church leadership and if they said sins were NOT forgiven, then doesn't God honor that? A bit of a quandary I must say. For someone acting under the original set of rules would be condemned and then someone a bit later could, under a new set of rules, could receive forgiveness for the same sins.

David

-- non-Catholic Christian (no@spam.com), December 30, 2004.

turning off the underline . . .

David

-- me (C@C.com), December 30, 2004.

David is surely correct. The people of God (the Church) have learned over the ages that God is *gracious* and *forgiving*. Interestingly we can thank the Celtic monks who came out of Ireland and Scotland with the Gospel after the fall of the Roman empire, for introducing the more gentle use of more than one confession. Thank God for the Celts! The whole Church eventually went along with that insight.

On the other hand, regarding the bishops *not* declaring forgiveness, I don't believe the Church discipline claims to judge the final standing of the soul before God. That is between God and each individual--and may Christ the merciful intercede for us, and all the saints and angels pray for us on that day!

-- Michael (edwardsronning@prodigy.net), December 30, 2004.

BTW, Jason,

There may have been other factors at work in the development of how the Sacrament of confession was used. At first, early Christians may have expected an early return of Christ in glory, and wanted to be on their best behavior! Also, those were times of dreadful persecution, and every saint needed to be firmly on the side of Christ without wavering in the least.

But St. Irenaeus (c. 170 A.D.) mentions a story about the Apostle John, who, after a time of much prayer and penance, welomed back one of his young disciples who had denied Christ, become an armed robber, and then with tears turned back to his faith. It became clear that one *could* be forgiven for sins committed after baptism.

Again, in dealing with a host of recently converted barbarians, it became clear that human beings need second chances sometimes more than once! It should be noted that Celtic practice of multiple opportunities for confession and forgiveness did involve hefty penances (try fasting on bread and water for 40 days, for example), but there was still gracious welcome to receive Christ in the Blessed Sacrament even *before* one's penance was complete.

In our apostate age, with so very many opportunities and occasions of temptation and sin, the Church has wisely lowered the amount of penance required. But it still behooves us to turn to Christ with open hearts and obedient minds and wills.

Meanwhile, Jason, please be assured, God does not turn away or despise the broken or contrite heart. If anyone turns to him and yearns to follow Him with their whole heart, of course they are forgiven! That's what Jesus came for--to forgive sinners, and to offer Himself as a ransom for us all.

-- Michael (edwardsronning@prodigy.net), December 30, 2004.

Thanks guys, peace be with you.

-- Jason (Enchantedfire5@yahoo.com), December 31, 2004.