In three ways then are sins remitted in the Church; by baptism, by prayer, by the greater humility of penance.
St. Augustine of Hippo
When you have been baptized, hold fast to a good life in the commandments of God, that you may guard your baptism even to the end. I do not tell you that you will live here without sin; but they are venial, without which this life is not. For the sake of all sins was baptism provided; for the sake of light sins, without which we cannot be, was prayer provided. What has the prayer? “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” Once for all we have washing in baptism, every day we have washing in prayer. Only, do not commit those things for which you must be separated from Christ’s body: which be far from you! For those whom you have seen doing penance, who have committed heinous things, either adulteries or some enormous crimes: for these they do penance. Because if theirs had been light sins, daily prayer would suffice to blot these out. . . . In three ways then are sins remitted in the Church; by baptism, by prayer, by the greater humility of penance.
