Dear St. Rita Families,

            Penance is a necessary part of the Christian life and cannot be relegated to Advent and Lent. It should, in fact, be a daily part of our journey with God. Penance comes from the Latin “paenitere”, to be sorry, and thus is an expression of sorrow for our sins and for the sins of others. And, while God desires to fulfill the deepest desires of our hearts and to bring us to eternal joy, it must not be forgotten that joy and sorrow can exist alongside each other within us. Scripture speaks of two kinds of sorrow: “For godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly sorrow produces death” (2 Cor 7:10). Worldly sorrow is inward focused and is driven by despair. It can manifest itself in an inability to accept one’s frailty or sin, an unwillingness to trust that good can and will prevail, demands that my own needs be met, and isolation. Likewise, it can be seen in an exaggerated self-pity, as when one wallows in the empty comfort of feeling sorry for oneself. Godly sorrow, on the other hand, not only acknowledges past sin, but propels one forward – away from the sin – so that a new life can be lived.

            Christian Penance stems from this godly sorrow, NOT from a worldly sorrow. Penance produced by a worldly sorrow would be self-destructive and harmful. If you or someone you love struggles with self-harm, for example, I encourage you to find help immediately through a good, Catholic, mental health professional. Christian penance is not self-harm, but rather is full of confidence that Christ’s Victory is accomplished and that we can share in it. Is that not the foundation of our hope that sin can be conquered in our lives? Otherwise, we would not have reason or energy to strive.

            St. Paul compares the Christian life to running a race, and he reminds us that in earthly competition, athletes deny themselves all sorts of things (cf. 1 Cor 9:25). This is true not just in athletics, but in every part of life. We make sacrifices for the sake of accomplishing a multitude of earthly goals. We cannot, then, forget the real reason that we are here: to obtain heaven! “They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown” (Ibid.). Our goal is immeasurably greater, longer lasting, and more worthy than any earthly prize we can obtain or be promised! Thus, to deny ourselves earthly pleasures for the sake of God is not only reasonable, but should be encouraged.

            The question becomes, then, how does it work? Penance – like prayer – is not magic. Penance serves several purposes. St. Paul says, “I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor 9:27). In other words, he is training his body to endure hardship for the sake of avoiding sin and fulfilling the mission that Christ has given him. There is a necessary strength of body that demands we endure hardship, and we can provide for ourselves some of that hardship through penance. This strength enables us to face difficult and demanding situations in life without compromising the Gospel. It would be a shame if human weakness were to cause me to reject God and go to Hell. 

            This does not mean, however, that we must all be supermen or gym rats in order to go to Heaven: “…for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way” (1 Tim 4:8). Penance isn’t about being buff, though strength training and exercise can help us tackle difficult situations. Most of our temptations involve a suggestion to escape from some suffering, whether that suffering is a desire for some illicit pleasure, rejection by others, or physical or emotional pain. Thus, penance that subdues the body should be directed towards enabling me to face those temptations. Fasting, kind conversation with unpleasant people, almsgiving, not complaining, avoiding the phone or social media, etc., can all be ways that we do penance to train ourselves for the daily struggle.

            Penance can also be a means of atoning for past sin. Our Lord says to Ananias, the man He sends to baptize Paul after his conversion, “I will show him [Paul] how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). Paul, as you know, was involved in the arrest and murder of Christians prior to his conversion, and the Lord assures Ananias in his fear of Paul, reminding him that sin has consequences, which Paul is being called to endure. These consequences are perfectly consonant with the salvation that Jesus won for us, because sin can’t be simply brushed aside. Its effects must be dealt with. Sin not only affects the world around me (see, e.g., the consequences of original sin, which broke everything), but it also affects me. I become a sinner by sinning. Vices are formed, and I find myself in need of purification. Penance provides a means of that purification, and it should be tailored first to the vices that I struggle with. If I struggle with overeating or with sweets, then I can choose a penance that enables me to grow in that regard. Further, a penance that “fits the crime”, so to speak, helps to right the scales of justice. It is a beautiful aspect of God’s plan for us that we – by engaging in penance – are given to participate in our own salvation! This is only possible by the grace of God, who invites us to share in His Cross (without which our penance would have only human – and thus limited – but not divine, value) for the sake of salvation.

            And we should not forget that penance can also have value for others. St. Paul again: “I make up in my own flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His Body, the Church” (Col 1:24). Christ had no need to do penance for Himself. He came to suffer for us and to be with us, out of perfect divine Charity. This, certainly, is part of the call of God: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). Parents and lovers understand this very naturally. They give up all sorts of things for the sake of the beloved. It is more difficult when the feeling of love or affection or attraction is not immediately present: “But God proves His love for us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). You and I have been loved unto salvation by the gracious gift of God, and it is good that consider what God invites us to offer for the salvation of others. Such a gift is godly, and through the Cross brings about the salvation of many souls!

            So, what kinds of penance should we practice? Simply put, any way in which you go against your own will can “count” as penance. But penance should be done out of that godly sorrow – with hope and confidence in God. It should not be full of complaint or self-pity, nor should it draw attention to oneself. Make your gift to Our Lord out of your love for Him. This is the ultimate meaning and purpose of penance – to be with Christ on the Cross. How He desires to use your suffering is, in the end, up to Him. More than anything, He desires that you be close to Him, because in that closeness (Divine union!) is found your joy, your happiness, your salvation.

In Christ,

Fr. Christensen