310. What are the effects of this sacrament?
(Comp
310) The effects of the sacrament of Penance are: reconciliation with
God and therefore the forgiveness of sins; reconciliation with the Church;
recovery, if it has been lost, of the state of grace; remission of the eternal
punishment merited by mortal sins, and remission, at least in part, of the
temporal punishment which is the consequence of sin; peace, serenity of
conscience and spiritual consolation; and an increase of spiritual strength for
the struggle of Christian living.
“In brief”
(CCC 1496) The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance
are: - reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace; -
reconciliation with the Church; - remission of the eternal punishment incurred
by mortal sins; - remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments
resulting from sin; - peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual
consolation; - an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.
To deepen and explain
(CCC 1469) This
sacrament reconciles us with the Church.
Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. The sacrament of Penance
repairs or restores it. In this sense it does not simply heal the one restored
to ecclesial communion, but has also a revitalizing effect on the life of the
Church which suffered from the sin of one of her members (Cf. 1 Cor 12:26). Re-established or
strengthened in the communion of saints, the sinner is made stronger by the
exchange of spiritual goods among all the living members of the Body of Christ,
whether still on pilgrimage or already in the heavenly homeland (Cf. LG 48-50):
It must be recalled that… this reconciliation with God leads, as it were, to
other reconciliations, which repair the other breaches caused by sin. The
forgiven penitent is reconciled with himself in his inmost being, where he
regains his innermost truth. He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in
some way offended and wounded. He is reconciled with the Church. He is
reconciled with all creation (John Paul II, RP 31, 5).
On reflection
(CCC 1468) "The
whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace
and joining us with him in an intimate friendship" (Roman Catechism, II,
V, 18). Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this
sacrament. For those who receive the sacrament of Penance with contrite heart
and religious disposition, reconciliation "is usually followed by peace
and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation" (Council of
Trent (1551): DS 1674). Indeed the sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings
about a true "spiritual resurrection," restoration of the dignity and
blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is
friendship with God (Cf. Lk 15:32). (CCC 1470) In this sacrament, the sinner,
placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the
judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For
it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death,
and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the Kingdom, from
which one is excluded by grave sin (Cf. 1 Cor 5:11; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). In
converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner passes from death to
life and "does not come into judgment" (Jn 5:24).
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