Whether Sins Are the Proper Matter of This Sacrament?
Objection 1: It would seem that sins are not the proper matter of
this sacrament. Because, in the other sacraments, the matter is
hallowed by the utterance of certain words, and being thus hallowed
produces the sacramental effect. Now sins cannot be hallowed, for
they are opposed to the effect of the sacrament, viz. grace which
blots out sin. Therefore sins are not the proper matter of this
sacrament.
Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says in his book _De Poenitentia_ [Cf.
Serm. cccli]: "No one can begin a new life, unless he repent of the
old." Now not only sins but also the penalties of the present life
belong to the old life. Therefore sins are not the proper matter of
Penance.
Obj. 3: Further, sin is either original, mortal or venial. Now the
sacrament of Penance is not ordained against original sin, for this
is taken away by Baptism, [nor against mortal sin, for this is taken
away by the sinner's confession]*, nor against venial sin, which is
taken away by the beating of the breast and the sprinkling of holy
water and the like. Therefore sins are not the proper matter of
Penance. [*The words in brackets are omitted in the Leonine edition].
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (2 Cor. 12:21): "(Who) have not
done penance for the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness,
that they have committed."
_I answer that,_ Matter is twofold, viz. proximate and remote: thus
the proximate matter of a statue is a metal, while the remote matter
is water. Now it has been stated (A. 1, ad 1, ad 2), that the
proximate matter of this sacrament consists in the acts of the
penitent, the matter of which acts are the sins over which he
grieves, which he confesses, and for which he satisfies. Hence it
follows that sins are the remote matter of Penance, as a matter, not
for approval, but for detestation, and destruction.
Reply Obj. 1: This argument considers the proximate matter of a
sacrament.
Reply Obj. 2: The old life that was subject to death is the object of
Penance, not as regards the punishment, but as regards the guilt
connected with it.
Reply Obj. 3: Penance regards every kind of sin in a way, but not
each in the same way. Because Penance regards actual mortal sin
properly and chiefly; properly, since, properly speaking, we are said
to repent of what we have done of our own will; chiefly, since this
sacrament was instituted chiefly for the blotting out of mortal sin.
Penance regards venial sins, properly speaking indeed, in so far as
they are committed of our own will, but this was not the chief
purpose of its institution. But as to original sin, Penance regards
it neither chiefly, since Baptism, and not Penance, is ordained
against original sin, nor properly, because original sin is not done
of our own will, except in so far as Adam's will is looked upon as
ours, in which sense the Apostle says (Rom. 5:12): "In whom all have
sinned." Nevertheless, Penance may be said to regard original sin, if
we take it in a wide sense for any detestation of something past: in
which sense Augustine uses the term in his book _De Poenitentia_
(Serm. cccli).
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