In the context of her Passion narrative, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich describes how Mary, Mother of God, was following her Son during His bitter Suffering every step of the way, venerating and weeping over the places where He had fallen,…
The quintessential biblical penitent is Mary of Magdalum, sister of Lazarus and Martha, of whom Jesus says: "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much".
Why penance? If I confess my sins and am properly contrite in heart, is that not enough to atone for my sins? Why penance, then? What additional good does penance, self-imposed or otherwise, do to the penitent if a change…