The Celebration Of Mass

[Debra Little]

[quote name='havok579257' timestamp='1301411306' post='2224216']
i would definatly advise against giving yourself more penance because you think the priest did not give you a proper penance. that quickly leads down the path of scrupulus. by doing it, your basically telling God that what your holy servent deems as penance for me is not good enough, so i will add more to it. just by praying 50 hail mary's or 50 our father's does not mean your peance is better or heard better by God. someone can say 1 our father with a contrite heart and that means more to God than the person who prays 50 our fathers and who does not have a contrite heart. my advice, do what your priest says in the confessional and be joyful absolution was given. why the need for anything more?

i'm not advocating not praying more to God for the forgiveness of your sins. I am simply advising do it for the purpose of your priest not giving you what YOU consider a good penance. remember, its not your job to judge what God's servent gives you for penance. its your job to do the penance.
[/quote]

Fooey! I wrote a reply and it disappeared. Don't remember now everything I said. I want to thank you for kind words of encouragement
and instruction. I will take this to heart and do it. I didn't realize what I was saying to God by my actions. How do I be hard on myself
without dong it the wrong way?

[Chamomile]

[quote name='Debra Little' timestamp='1301418370' post='2224230']
Fooey! I wrote a reply and it disappeared. Don't remember now everything I said. I want to thank you for kind words of encouragement
and instruction. I will take this to heart and do it. I didn't realize what I was saying to God by my actions. How do I be hard on myself
without dong it the wrong way?
[/quote]

I've done that before... and lost really long messages to people

I agree with what the previous poster said about just doing the penance given in Confession. It also might've been that what you confessed wasn't very serious in the eyes of the priest, and that this penance was appropriate. If you get a penance that seems too little for what you've done, rejoice in God's mercy! No matter what we do, it will never truly pay back the price of our sins - the Cross of Christ.

Do you have a spiritual director? They can help you decide on things like penance and sacrifice, and following their advice is an act of obedience. Usually, the best ways to "be hard on yourself" are those opportunities that are presented to you in everyday life. Little acts of patience, faith, humility, love, silence, etc. I'd bet that most of us aren't called to do "great" penances, like fasting for long periods of time on very little food! But little things done out of great love are very dear to God.

[Ed Normile]

[quote name='Debra Little' timestamp='1301418370' post='2224230']
Fooey! I wrote a reply and it disappeared. Don't remember now everything I said. I want to thank you for kind words of encouragement
and instruction. I will take this to heart and do it. I didn't realize what I was saying to God by my actions. How do I be hard on myself
without dong it the wrong way?
[/quote]

Is it not hard enough on yourself just to go before a priest and confess your sins, admitting your faults to God through His advocate acting in His place? I guess you realize the many souls who have seperated themselves from the church over just this one part of our faith. You are forgiven if the priest says say one Our Father, or asks you to pray for peace or read some scripture or whatever he feels is appropriate. You can also make offerings to God such as sacrifices or prayers for some unknown person or the Holy souls in purgatory while offering this to God as I am sorry for having sinned against you and I accept your forgiveness.

ed

[Debra Little]

[quote name='Ed Normile' timestamp='1301423940' post='2224267']
Is it not hard enough on yourself just to go before a priest and confess your sins, admitting your faults to God through His advocate acting in His place? I guess you realize the many souls who have seperated themselves from the church over just this one part of our faith. You are forgiven if the priest says say one Our Father, or asks you to pray for peace or read some scripture or whatever he feels is appropriate. You can also make offerings to God such as sacrifices or prayers for some unknown person or the Holy souls in purgatory while offering this to God as I am sorry for having sinned against you and I accept your forgiveness.

ed
[/quote]



Thankyou

[MIKolbe]

[quote name='Debra Little' timestamp='1301342842' post='2223972']
He was really sweet and understanding in Confession but all I got for penance is an Our Father. I always end up making up more
penances for myself too. [/quote]

In a way, it seems as if (taking those 2 sentences together) that one Our Father might have been the an excellent penance.

Though I do admire your willingness offer more than is 'required'.