Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/143



“This sacrament owes  its  institution  to  the  singular  goodness and mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.”—  Catechism  of  Council  of Trent.

PIRITUAL writers — men  of  great  learning,  piety, and experience — recommend  us  to  prepare  for  each confession as  if  it  were  the  last  opportunity  we  would have of  approaching  the  holy  Sacrament  of  Penance. “ This reflection  ” says  St.  Alphonsus,  “ will  induce you to  discharge  every  part  of  your  duty,  both  as to  the  examination  of  your  conscience,  your  sorrow for your  sins,  your  firm  purpose  of  amending  your life, and  the  sincerity  of  your  confession,  in  the  most perfect possible  manner.”

There is  scarcely  any  duty  of  greater  importance  in religion,  than  to  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Penance with the  necessary  dispositions. Penance is  as indispensable  for  those  who  have  fallen  into  sin  after baptism, as  baptism  itself  is  for  those  who  have  never been baptized. It is  a second  plank  after  the  shipwreck of  sin,  without  which  the  sinner  must  inevitably perish. But then  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  this sacrament must  be  received  with  the  necessary dispositions. The cleansing  of  the  baptismal  robe, and restoring  it  to  its  original  purity,  is  not  to  be effected  without  much  labour  and  application. It would be  absurd  to  imagine  that  the  justice  of  God, which could  not  be  satisfied  but  by  the  sufferings  of Jesus  Christ,  and  which,  notwithstanding  these sufferings, doth  still  condemn  to  eternal  torments  the unrepenting sinner — it  would  be  absurd,  indeed,  to imagine,  that  his  justice  should  now  be  appeased  by