What is absolution?

What is absolution?

• A. God's forgiveness of sins
• B. The sacrament of confession
• C. The act of penance
• D. The blessing of the faithful

Answer: (A)

Absolution means God's forgiveness of sins. After a person confesses and does what’s needed to show repentance, the priest speaks words of absolution to declare that God has forgiven the person. So absolution is the forgiveness itself, not the act of confessing, not the penance, and not a general blessing for everyone. The confession is the coming to God with your sins, and penance is the actions you take to repair and show you’re truly sorry; absolution is what God grants—the pardon of sins. The blessing of the faithful is a separate favor given to the whole community, not the forgiveness owed to an individual.

Absolution means God's forgiveness of sins. After a person confesses and does what’s needed to show repentance, the priest speaks words of absolution to declare that God has forgiven the person. So absolution is the forgiveness itself, not the act of confessing, not the penance, and not a general blessing for everyone. The confession is the coming to God with your sins, and penance is the actions you take to repair and show you’re truly sorry; absolution is what God grants—the pardon of sins. The blessing of the faithful is a separate favor given to the whole community, not the forgiveness owed to an individual.