Question
Good evening Father,
I would like to ask you about the difference between these two significant prayers: the Confiteor (recited during Mass) and the Act of Contrition (recited in Confession). My main curiosity is how to use these prayers in my personal prayer life. Understanding their true meaning will help me refer to them with purpose, rather than randomly.
Thank you in advance for your caring guidance.
Answer
Dear Stefano,
1.Both are prayers to ask for forgiveness and are beautiful but different at the same time.
2.The Confiteor belongs to the ecclesiastical domain. It points out that we owe the whole Church, both the Pilgrim and Celestial ones. We owe the Pilgrim Church since, with our sins, we have deprived Her of the source of Grace, replacing it with something corrupted. Pope Saint John Paul II, in Reconciliatio et Poenitentia, has highlighted:
“To speak of social sin means in the first place to recognize that, by virtue of human solidarity which is as mysterious and intangible as it is real and concrete, each individual’s sin in some way affects others. This is the other aspect of that solidarity which on the religious level is developed in the profound and magnificent mystery of the communion of saints, thanks to which it has been possible to say that “every soul that rises above itself, raises up the world.” To this law of ascent there unfortunately corresponds the law of descent. Consequently one can speak of a communion of sin, whereby a soul that lowers itself through sin drags down with itself the church and, in some way, the whole world. In other words, there is no sin, not even the most intimate and secret one, the most strictly individual one, that exclusively concerns the person committing it. With greater or lesser violence, with greater or lesser harm, every sin has repercussions on the entire ecclesial body and the whole human family. ” (RP 16).
We also mention the Celestial Church in the same prayer and refer to the saints in Heaven since we have neglected their inspirations, advice, and assistance with our sins. Therefore, we say, “I ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels, and Saints (…) to pray for me to the Lord, Our God.” In the previous version, we would also admit to having sinned “… to blessed Mary ever-Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, and blessed John the Baptist, and to the holy apostles Peter and Paul along with all the saints and you, Father.” It was a humble confession made before all of Heaven.
3.Furthermore, the Confiteor mentions all the different types of sins which could occur: “in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do.” Sometimes people in Confession candidly admit not to be aware of any sins. It would instead be enough just to ponder on the sins committed with our thoughts, words and omissions. I am not mentioning the actions as somebody could easily say that, thanks to God, he/she cannot recall any gravios sins. Nonetheless, everybody commits sins in thoughts, words or omissions.
The great St. Ambroise used to recite the following prayer before Communion :
“Merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling for I am a sinner and dare not rely on my own worth but only on Thy goodness and mercy. I am defiled by my many sins in body and soul and by my unguarded thoughts and words.”
If Saint Ambrose , a holy man, used to accuse himself for his unguarded thoughts and words, what shall we say, poor sinners ? Unfortunately miseries , at least venial sins, are part of our every day’s life.
5. The Act of Contrition, during the Sacrament of Confession, aims to guide the penitent to express true sorrow for his/her own sins. True contrition is not simply detesting sins as cause of God’s punishment ( in reality it is self-punishment as through sin we open the doors to our enemy who come only to steal and kill and destroy , John 10:10) but is when we feel sorry for having refused the Love of God , who is most good and deserving to be loved above all things , choosing instead to follow our enemy!
6. Furthermore, with this prayer we express the most beautiful consequence of our repentance :” With the help of Thy Grace I firmly intend to sin no more”. If we make this a true promise, we will search ways to avoid those same sins.
7. It is also sincere as we also promise to “ avoid the nearest occasions of sin”. The occasions of sins are those promiscuous situations which could lead to sinning such as pre-matrimonial cohabitation or other kinds of cohabitation.
Wishing you to get the most from these two beautiful prayers which the Liturgy of the Church offers I bless you and remember you in my own prayers.
Father Angelo
