Necessity for Repentance: Mission Sermon

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1948, Page 7

Necessity for Repentance: Mission Sermon

“There is necessity for repairing the evil of mortal sin by repentance with the promise of God Himself that sin will be forgiven,” said the Rev. Father T. Mahoney, C.SS.R., who preached the sermon at St. Patrick’s Mission last evening, s Christ Himself had instituted this holy Sacrament on the day of His Ressurection when He appeared to His Apostles and commanded them to forgive sins, said Father Mahoney. But sins could not be forgiven without sorrow, although God had made it extremely easy for sinners to obtain pardon. If 'God had been offended, it was for Him to lay down the conditions of lorgiveness, and this He had done. Acts of charity and penance in themselves were good, but not sufficient. Those in pagan lands, or to whom the Word of God had not come through no fault of their own, could obtain, forgiveness by acts of sorrow, but lor Catholics it was different. They understand that to secure the full application of God’s pardon, they had to do their own part. True sorrow, said Father Mahoney had to be for a supernatural reason, because sin offended God. Just as the Sacrament of Baptism was impossible without the use of water, so tne Sacrament of Penance was useless without sorrow. Mere natural sorrow was not sufficient, and true sorrow had to extend to all serious sms. The sorrow of Judas, who confessed his sin and went forth and hanged himself vfas of no use. “God is anxious to pardon us if we do our part by being sincerely sorry for sin,” said the Missioner, who pointed out that the resolve to avoid sin, and its occasions thereafter, was another essential. There must be a definite “I will” on the part of the sinner’s resolve to amend his way of life. “Grief of soul and detestation of sin, combined with a I'esolution not to sin again,” had been laid down by the Council of Trent as the meaning of sorrow. Concealment of sin, or not being sincerely sorry, would be a shameful abuse of God’s Infinite Mercy. Referring to the murder of the late Father Vernon Douglas, a New Zealand priest, by the Japanese, because he would not disclose information given him in the confessional, Father Mahoney pointed out that the priest was bound never to give a single secret received in such a manner, to anyone. Our Lord was not annoyed with Mary Magdelene of the thief on the cross, and no Catholic priest would be annoyed at the mention of the sins of anyone, no matter how great they might appear to be. “If you are really sincere, you can be certain that your confession will be happy and easy,” said Father Mahoney. “God is merciful and just to the repentant sinner, whom He receives with infinite mercy, love and compassion. ‘They that are in health need not the physician, but those who are ill’ Christ had said. Again He said, ‘Go and sin no more,’ and to Mary Magdelene, the great sinner of a city, ‘Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee ’ In His compassion he forgot all of her sins, and this shows how the wonderful Mercy of God can be shown to the truly repentant sinner. The restoration of sanctifying grace, and increased love of God opens the gates of Heaven and brings peace to the soul of the sinner. Come, therefore, with confidence and courage to receive God's mercy,” concluded Father Mahoney.