The Scalpel of Compunction

A cyst needs to be lanced, a boil cut away, and a wound stitched. To bring healing, a patient must first suffer a bit of pain. Compunction is the hurt we must endure to heal our sinful hearts. Compunction is a word we don’t use that often. It sounds a bit old-fashioned. The dictionary defines compunction as anxiety arising from awareness of guilt. Theologically, we would call compunction the condition of accountability incurred by sinning. 

During Holy Week, at the Chrism Mass for the priests of the Diocese of Rome, Pope Francis reflected on the virtue of compunction with the 1500 priests assembled for the Mass. To illustrate his reflection, Pope Francis used the Passion Narratives as an example, which tells of St. Peter’s denial of Jesus during Jesus’ trial. We’ll remember how Peter denied knowing Jesus three times as Peter stood in the courtyard while the Religious Authorities examined Jesus. When Peter realized what he had done, compunction overwhelmed him, and Peter went outside to cry. On Easter night, when Jesus appeared to the Apostles and disciples, Jesus brought Peter healing from the wounds of compunction as he asked Peter to profess his love for the Lord. 

In his talk, Pope Francis explained that the sorrow we feel from compunction shouldn’t be self-pity. God doesn’t use compunction to make us feel guilty, discourage us, or cause us to become obsessed with feelings of unworthiness. What needs to cause us sorrow is that we are unmasked and forced to allow God to gaze upon our sinful hearts. Recognizing the truth about our sinful hearts is what causes our sadness. 

Pope Francis said that rather than avoiding compunction and soul searching, it should stimulate our desire to seek God’s healing and forgiveness. He reminded the priests that those who forget the greatness of sin forget the greatness of God’s mercy. A positive result of feelings of compunction is that it causes us to grow closer to our fellow sinners. When we feel compunction, it reveals our solidarity with fellow sinners. Those feelings make us gentler and closer to those who sin against us because we are more aware of our faults and failures. 

Has compunction cut open your soul to reveal your need to confront sinfulness? Now that you recognize your sins, you must allow Jesus to bring you God’s healing. God doesn’t want you to punish yourself with guilt, remorse, and sorrow. God wants to pour out mercy and healing on our wounded souls. Allow God to cut away your feelings of regret and receive the new life of Christ.  

Easter is an excellent season to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation if it has been a long time since you opened yourself to the curative opening of your soul by the scalpel of compunction. Catholics aware of committing serious sin are obligated to receive forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Trinity Sunday on May 26. It is what used to be called the Easter Duty. Even if you feel you only have venal sins to confess, come to Confession as the Easter Season nears its close. Have your heart opened by the blade of compunction to experience the healing grace of mercy and grow deeper in your relationship with God. I’m in the Reconciliation Room at the back of the church every Saturday from 3 to 3:45. Open your heart to God’s healing and strength by practicing compunction.