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Question

Dear father Angelo

I disturb you once more with a question that was asked to me as I was frequenting family ministry. A friend of mine came out and said that the act of contrition is wrong for the part where it states “and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments” because God, being Himself love, does not punish. Many others affirmed the same.

I tried to convince them that divine punishments are not a negative thing since they can be God’s way to convert us.

Leaving aside the Old Testament, where there are many examples of divine punishment, I noticed that even in the New Testament there are plenty of references to it. See 1 Corinthians 11:32, Hebrews 12:4-11, Acts 12:21-23, 5:5, Revelation 3:19.

Therefore I ask: if God propels all the history of mankind, is it possible that His intervention might involve “punishments” to encourage the conversion of men, conversion which could happen in ways known only by Him?

Marco

The answer from the priest

Dear Marco,

1. We must clarify some important things in order to avoid any mistake.

First of all, your friends are wrong in saying that this particular expression used in the Act of Contrition is wrong. 

It has to be remembered that the Lord prevents the Church from making mistakes in its acts of worship. Otherwise, it would imply that it is not assisted by the Lord in its highest moments, an assumption which evidently is contrary to the Gospel. This is especially true since many divine sanctions can be found both in the Old and New testament.

2. This misunderstanding comes from the widespread thought that God punishes like parents might punish their sons if they do not act properly. God does not act in this way.

3. Instead, punishments are immanent to sin. Therefore, it is he who sins that always punishes himself.

4. This punishment happens in two different ways. Firstly, by breaking the moral law (which is written in our very nature) one ends up hurting himself similarly to someone who drinks poison. For this very reason, John Paul II said: “As a personal act, sin has its first and most important consequences in the sinner himself: that is, in his relationship with God, who is the very foundation of human life; and also in his spirit, weakening his will and clouding his intellect.” (Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, 16), and thus, by gravely offending God, Sin “ends in turning against man himself with a dark and powerful force of destruction” (RP 17).

5. Secondly, by sinning we end up destroying all the defence barriers that God gives us (the sanctifying grace) and we permit our visible and invisible enemies to hurt us.

6.  It is not wrong to say “and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments” since these two forms of self-punishment are indeed permitted by God. God isn’t wrong even in what He permits. 

For faith, we know that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8,28).

Saint Augustine said: “God, who is immensely good, would never permit evil in any way if He wasn’t so powerful and good to know how to draw good from that evil.” (Enchidirion)

I wish you a holy Christmas.

I bless you and assure you of remembrance to the Lord.

Father Angelo