As we approach the great Paschal feast of Easter, our Lenten acts of prayer, alms giving, and penance remind us of our great need of God's mercy. In our efforts to prepare our souls for Easter, we see more clearly our own wretchedness. Knowing that the third precept of the Church is that we must receive Communion at least during the Easter season, we must ensure that we enter that holy season without the stain of mortal sin on our souls (CCC 2042). 

One of the prerequisites for a valid Confession, and one of the things we can strive for during our Lenten practices, is contrition for our sins. The Catechism refers to the Council of Trent to define contrition for sins as “sorrow of soul, and a hatred of sin committed, with a firm purpose of not sinning in the future.” This sorrow for our sins, the Catechism says, must be the first act of the penitent (CCC 1451). However, there are two types of contrition: perfect and imperfect. The motivation for this sorrow is what distinguishes perfect contrition from imperfect contrition. Any motivation besides love of God makes the contrition imperfect but even this is “a gift of God, and an impulse of the Holy Spirit, who does not indeed as yet dwell in the penitent, but who only moves him” (The Council of Trent, Sess. XIV, Chap. iv). 

The Catechism defines these two types of contrition in this way: 

“When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called "perfect" (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible” (CCC 1452).

“The contrition called "imperfect" (or "attrition") is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin's ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance” (CCC 1453). 

Imperfect contrition is enough for us to obtain absolution in Confession and, although it would be better for us to strive for perfect contrition, there is no reason for us to be ashamed of humbly starting at imperfect contrition. Even Jesus does not hesitate to inspire this contrition that is born out of fear as a starting point in certain passages of the Gospels. The Catholic Encyclopedia explains: “Certainly, too, the vivid account of the destruction of Jerusalem, typical of the final destruction of the world, was intended by Jesus to strike terror into the hearts of those who heard, and those who read; nor can one doubt that the last great judgment as portrayed by Matthew, xxv, 31 sqq., must have been described by Christ for the purpose of deterring men from sin by reason of God's awful judgments.” St. Paul also advises us to work out “our salvation in fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). At the heart of this emphasis on imperfect contrition is the idea that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Even our imperfect contrition is enough to begin us on the path to sanctity. 

Perfect contrition, being born out of a pure love of God and sorrow at having offended Him, can, under certain circumstances, enact the forgiveness of mortal and venial sins on its own. However, it is important to understand that it is not a replacement for Confession but is profoundly tied to the sacrament through the desire to receive it as soon as possible. Obtaining forgiveness through perfect contrition is done by making an act of contrition out of pure love of God; out of a desire to be reunited to Him, coupled with a resolution to go to Confession as soon as it becomes possible to do so. Perfect contrition cannot exist without the desire to go to Confession and the firm resolution to do so when it is available.

At the outbreak of World War II when priests were in short supply, St. Maximillian Kolbe advised his followers to make use of this grace that the Church offers us: "Whoever can, should receive the Sacrament of Penance. Whoever cannot, because of prohibiting circumstances, should cleanse his soul by acts of perfect contrition: i.e., the sorrow of a loving child who does not consider so much the pain or reward as he does the pardon from his father and mother to whom he has brought displeasure."

May the penitential nature of Lent remind us to return to Confession to cleanse our souls before the great triumph of Easter. For those whose parishes may not offer increased times for Confession during Lent, may you be able to offer an act of perfect contrition and receive the sacrament of Penance as soon as possible!