ordained, that those who by their scandalous disorders may have given public disedification, should atone for them by public Church. penance, that others may be thus deterred from their commission. This has sometimes been observed even with regard to secret sins, when marked by peculiar malignity. [1] But with regard to public sinners, they, as we have already said, were never absolved until they had performed public penance. Mean while, the pastor poured out his prayers to God for their salvation, and ceased not to exhort them to do the same. This salutary practice gave active employment to the zeal and solicitude of St. Ambrose; many, who came to the tribunal of penance hardened in sin, were by his tears softened into true contrition. [2] But in process of time the severity of ancient discipline was so relaxed, and charity waxed so cold, that in our days many seem to think inward sorrow of soul and grief of heart unnecessary, and deem the semblance of sorrow sufficient.
Again, by undergoing these penances we are made like unto the image of Jesus Christ our head, inasmuch as he himself suffered and was tempted, 3 and, as St. Bernard observes, "nothing can appear so unseemly as a delicate member under a head crowned with thorns." [3] To use the words of the Apostle, "we are joint-heirs with Christ, yet so if we suffer with him;" [4] and again: " If we be dead with him, we shall live also with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him." [5]
St. Bernard also observes, that sin produces two effects in the soul; the one, the stain which it imparts, the other, the wound which it inflicts; that the turpitude of sin is removed through the mercy of God, whilst to heal the wound inflicted the medicinal care applied by penance is most necessary; for as after a wound has been healed, some scars remain which demand attention, so with regard to the soul, after the guilt of sin is forgiven, some of its effects remain, from which the soul requires to be cleansed. St. Chrysostome also fully confirms the same doctrine, when he says: " Not enough that the arrow has been extracted from the body, the wound which it inflicted must also be healed: so with regard to the soul, not enough that sin has been pardoned, the wound which it has left, must also be healed by penance." [6] St. Augustine, also, frequently teaches that penance exhibits at once the mercy and the justice of God, his mercy by which he pardons sin, and the eternal punishment due to sin, his justice by which he exacts temporary punishment from the sinner. [7]
Finally, the punishment which the sinner endures, disarms the vengeance of God, and prevents the punishments decreed
- ↑ Vide Aug. lib. 5, de civit. Dei cap. 26. et ep. 54. et lib. 50. horn. 49. et de vera et falsa poen. passim. Ambr. lib. 2. de pcenit. c. 10. et citatur de poen. dist. 3. cap. reperiuntur. Cypr. de lapsis multis in locis. Cone. Agath. cap. 35. et citatur. dist. 50. cap. poenitentes.
- ↑ Heb. ii. 17.
- ↑ Serm. 5. de omn. sanct
- ↑ Rom. viii. 17.
- ↑ 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12.
- ↑ Serm. 1. in cocna Domini. Horn. 80. ad Pop. Antioch.
- ↑ In Ps. 1. ad haec verba, ECCE EMM VENIT.
