Can We be Restored to a State of Grace before we Confess?

 

This one stumped most people. The Church teaching is that when we commit a grave sin we may immediately say an Act of Perfect Contrition. We are then immediately restored to a State of Grace, but the this act of contrition must include a promise to attend to the Sacrament of Confession at the earliest opportunity.

Also, even though a person make this Act, he cannot receive the Eucharist until after attending to the Sacrament of Confession.

God is good and allows us an opportunity to be restored to Him even before attending the Sacrament. Otherwise, if we sin on Monday and get killed before Saturday Confession time, we would go to hell.

With a Perfect Act of Contrition, we are in a State of Grace on Monday as soon as we say it, and thus if killed before Saturday, we are covered.

A Perfect Act of Contrition is offering sorrow for sin because we love God and are sorry that we disappointed our Father, whom we should love above all.

An Imperfect Act of Contrition is offering sorrow for sin because we are afraid of hell.

So if we offer Contrition out of love for God, instead of fear of hell, we are restored to a State of Grace immediately.

Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica, Ill, Q80, A.4 and 5) said: "...a person cannot know with certainty if he is indeed and truly contrite", thus our need to make a Sacramental confession where the priest as alter christus, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, can make a decision on our contrition.