Sorrow
About how pain should be placed in first place among the acts of the penitent why are the faces of a same attitude of mind, indeed, if this is directed to the past; is pain and vice versa if it is directed to the future; it is about.
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Sorrow and repentance
Pain arises from the regret of sin. This feeling makes us reject what we tried through an articulated pleasure of the senses with the flame of passions, there has blinded. And this pain is not in the torment of the soul and even depends on how long the contrition, but by the quality of our feeling and from the desire for conversion.
This conversion cannot delay in time, indeed, you must feel in the heart the urgent need to begin immediately because it will be easy to direct its willingness, seeking the causes that we have inclined to sin and eradicate in us taste the pleasure related to enjoy.
The sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation is a very serious issue, in fact, it must be considered that only through repentance and remorse for the sins committed it is possible to obtain the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness which God grants through his infinite mercy to the penitent who asks forgiveness with contrition of heart.
"When across from the abyss of sin you will seek the Lord your God, you will find: however if you seek him with all your heart and with all the contrition of thy soul" (Deut. 4, 29). In the Scriptures there is then a persistent call to conversion of heart and penance. Jesus himself has said: "If you do not convert, you will all perish in the same way".
(Lk. 13, 3).
The rest, remorse becomes natural when born in itself the awareness of the evil that has been committed and, for some, can become unbearable. "Even if the pain I would pour in a sea of tears, I would not be however still worthy of being from you comforted" writes the author of the Imitation of Christ.
The node the depths of the mystery of redemption is knots in the night of betrayal, when Jesus was suffering alone in the Garden of Olives. That agony is the apex of the human tragedy of Christ. In that olive suffers for all the sinners, it covers all the sins of humanity and offers his anguish to expiate the sins. Is the sacrificial victim, the innocent lamb who is charged with our sins to redeem us.
The same parable of the prodigal son teaches us which was for the degenerate son the first converting motion. "How many employees of my father have bread in abundance and I perish here with hunger!". This first consideration is perhaps dictated by a need that arises from hunger. It is not yet a real contrition for pain went to father but a first motion. The Son proceeds in the reflection by saying: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no more worthy to be called thy son. Treat me as one of your employees". Well, these are worthy words of those who repents and feels pain for the evil committed.
This is the example to follow with humility. We collect through reflection, or better to say an examination of conscience, all the elements that can help us to conversion and then we proceed confident, certain of the Mercy of God.
The great Saint and Doctor of the Church, Caterina da Siena can help us to increase the spiritual sorrow for the sins committed. He wrote in this regard: "our soul will be much more animated to make war to sin as much as we will look sweet Lord and consider that for the sin Jesus Christ was left to kill". And continues: "We will do so as the son who sees the blood of his father, and feels growing in him the hatred toward the enemy who killed. So the soul that contemplates the blood of his creator, conceives and feels growing itself hatred against the enemy that has made him die. And if saying to me: who killed? I will tell you that only sin is the reason of the death of Christ and is the man who has committed sin.
We must therefore make Revenge above ourselves, on our wicked thoughts, vices and sins: because the worst enemy that man has is himself. And if the soul keeps her gaze fixed on Christ crucified and considers that was its sensuality to kill him, will never be satisfied with the vengeance, but will be indeed happy to see you sustain every punishment and torment, as his mortal enemy. So I want you to do and so that you do well, I want that you position yourself in front of the memory of the blood of the Son of God, scattered with so much love burning. This blood will be for us a continuous baptism of fire that purify and heat our soul robbing her every frost of sin".
(Letter 148, Caterina da Siena).
We must therefore implement the respect of sin no more than indulge confident in the arms of God, who will not fail to give us all the help and the strength necessary to maintain this commitment. The psalmist says: "throws in the Lord thy toil and he will give you support" (Ps. 54,23). He says the Prophet: "Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, put wings like eagles, run without worried, walk without tiring".
(Isa. 40,31).
