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Objection 1: It would seem that a man ought to have contrition for
another's sin. For one should not ask forgiveness for a sin unless
one is contrite for it. Now forgiveness is asked for another's sin in
Ps. 18:13: "From those of others spare thy servant."
Therefore a man ought to be contrite for another's sins.
Objection 2: Further, man is bound, ought of charity, to love his
neighbor as himself. Now, through love of himself, he both grieves
for his ills, and desires good things. Therefore, since we are bound
to desire the goods of grace for our neighbor, as for ourselves, it
seems that we ought to grieve for his sins, even as for our own. But
contrition is nothing else than sorrow for sins. Therefore man should
be contrite for the sins of others.
On the contrary, Contrition is an act of the virtue of penance. But
no one repents save for what he has done himself. Therefore no one is
contrite for others' sins.
I answer that, The same thing is crushed [conteritur] which
hitherto was hard and whole. Hence contrition for sin must needs be in
the same subject in which the hardness of sin was hitherto: so that
there is no contrition for the sins of others.
Reply to Objection 1: The prophet prays to be spared from the sins
of others, in so far as, through fellowship with sinners, a man
contracts a stain by consenting to their sins: thus it is written
(Ps. 17:27): "With the perverse thou wilt be perverted."
Reply to Objection 2: We ought to grieve for the sins of others,
but not to have contrition for them, because not all sorrow for past
sins is contrition, as is evident for what has been said already.
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