Contrition (from the Latin contritus 'ground to pieces, i.e. crushed by
guilt) is sincere and complete remorse (i.e. regret with a sense of guilt) for
sins one has committed. The remorseful person is said to be contrite.It is a key concept to many
Christians, especially
Catholics, who can then seek divine
forgiveness through the sacrament of
Confession, nowadays rather called
Penance or the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is often regarded as a prerequisite to divine forgiveness.Exhortations to the value and necessity for repentance are quite common: "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (
Ezechiel: 33, 11); "Except you do penance you shall all likewise perish" (
Gospel of Luke 8:5; cf.
Gospel of Matthew 12:41). At times this repentance includes exterior acts of satisfaction (
Psalms 6:7 sqq.); it always implies a recognition of wrong done to God, a detestation of the evil wrought, and a desire to turn from evil and do good. This is clearly expressed in Psalm 51 (5-14): "Have mercy upon me oh God, according to they loving kindness, according to the multitude of they tender mercies, blot out my transgresson. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, & cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgression, & my sin is ever before me. Against thee, & thee only, have I sinned, & done this evil in thy sight. That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, & be clear when thou judgest, behold, I was shapen in iniquity, & in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts, & in the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdow. Purge me with hyssop, & I shall be clean, wash me & I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy, & gladness that the bones which thou has broken may rejoice, hide thy face from my sins, & blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, oh God, & renew a right spirit within me.", etc. More clearly does this appear in the
parable of the
Pharisee and the publican (Luke, xviii, 13), and more clearly still in the story of the
prodigal (Luke, xv, 11-32): "Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before thee: I am not worthy to be called thy son".
See more at Wikipedia.org...
Free Download Now!
