Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
-- Mt 11:20-24

Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one's life, with hope in God's mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus (affliction of spirit) and compunctio cordis (repentance of heart).
-- CCC 1431

Repentance (also called contrition) must be inspired by motives that arise from faith. If repentance arises from love of charity for God, it is called "perfect" contrition; if it is founded on other motives, it is called "imperfect."
-- CCC 1492

Art: The oldest known portrait of Kateri Tekakwitha, painted after her death by Father Chauchetière. (Source: Wikipedia.)

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