I believe in the I believe in the forgiveness of forgiveness of

sinssins

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Compendium of the Catechism

201. Why does the Church have the power to forgive sins?

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The Church has the mission and the power to forgive sins because Christ himself has conferred it upon her: “Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23).

Introduction

The forgiveness of sins underpins the mission of Christ in the world, because as Saint Paul says, “He was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

in His appearance on the afternoon of the resurrection He said to the Apostles: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven" (Juan 20:23).

In the Church, therefore, the forgiveness of sins exists by virtue of an infinite condescension of God to man..

CRESPI, Giuseppe MariaConfession

1712Oil on canvas, 127 x 95 cm

Gemäldegalerie, Dresden

Main ideasMain ideas

1. We are sinners

Man is born with original sin, inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. Moreover, throughout our life all of us sin: we offend God because we do

not do what He asks of us; we also offend our fellow men,

and in this way we offend God too. Man has a great need of God´s forgiveness.

Man has a great need of God´s forgiveness.

BOSCH, HieronymusThe Seven Deadly Sins (detail)c. 1480Oil on panel, diameter of detail: 36,3 cmMuseo del Prado, Madrid

2. Christ forgave sins

While Jesus Christ was on earth he forgave the sins of those who repented. In the Gospel this power of Christ is emphasized; he could do so because, in addition to being true man, he was also true God. " Take heart, my son, your sins

are forgiven " (Matthew 9:2) He says to the paralytic.

Y And to the sinful woman, who was present in Simon´s house, He says: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48).

LINT, Pieter vanChrist and the Adulterous WomanOil on copper, 74 x 90 cmPrivate collection

3. Christ gives to the Church the power of forgiving sins

When on the afternoon of the resurrection Christ gave the Holy Spirit to his Apostles, it was precisely the power of forgiving sins that he gave them: ”Receive the Holy Spirit. If you

forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained” (John 20:22-23).

The Church exercises this power mainly in the sacraments of baptism and penance.

GIOTTO di BondoneNo. 38 Scenes from the Life of Christ: Ascension1304-06Fresco, 200 x 185 cmCappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua

4. There is only one baptism for the forgiveness of sins

When Jesus was about to ascend into Heaven, he said to his Apostles: “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

Baptism is the first sacrament that pardons sins and removes them all completely, although this does not eliminate the weakness of man’s nature nor free him of his disordered desires. CRESPI, Giuseppe Maria

Baptism1712

Oil on canvas, 127 x 95 cmGemäldegalerie, Dresden

5. The sacrament of penance

The effect of baptism is so radical that it would be possible to think of a consequent state of innocence. Nevertheless, man’s freedom is fragile, and he finds himself time after time in need of forgiveness.

Christ knew our condition, so He established another means of reconciliation for those who have fallen after baptism: the sacrament of penance, which reconciles us with God and the Church.

LONGHI, PietroThe ConfessionOil on canvas, 61 x 50 cmGalleria degli Uffizi, Florence

6. The Church can forgive all sins

There is no sin, no matter how serious it is, that the Church cannot forgive.

Christ redeemed us from sin. He wished that in the Church the doors of forgiveness would always be open to those who repent of their sins.

In the Church, the power of forgiving sins by means of the sacrament of penance has been given only to those who have received the sacrament of holy orders, that is to say, the bishops and priests.

WEYDEN, Rogier van derSeven Sacraments (left wing)

1445-50Oil on oak panel, 119 x 63 cm

Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp

7. We have to be thankful for this gift of Christ to his Church

Saint John Chrysostom said: “Priests have received a power that God has given neither to angels, nor to archangels… God approves in heaven everything that the priests do here on earth”.

And Saint Augustine says: “If in the Church there were no remission of sins, there would be no hope, no expectation of an eternal life and of an eternal liberation. Let us thank God, who has given this gift to the Church”.

FETI, DomenicoSaint Mary Magdalene Penitent1615Oil on canvasMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston

Resolutions Resolutions for Christian for Christian

lifelife

Resolutions to move forward

Go frequently and truly contrite to the sacrament of penance.

Give thanks to God for the immense gift of Christ to his Church: the mission and the power to truly forgive sins.