How does contrition actually work in the soul of a sinner?

As a heart grows for God, something changes.

The Bible tells us that the fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom but what good is a good beginning if you do not make progress afterwords?

The Catholic church uses a lot of fancy terms to denote Biblical truths but don't let the fancy words fool you. You can penetrate them with little effort.

The process of Salvation requires a person to pass through a painful process of purgation. Saint John of the Cross famously called this experience The Dark night of the Soul.

It is the process by which the soul moves from servile fear to filial fear, from attrition to contrition and to the pure longing for God rather than merely longing for the gifts and consolations that come from God.

Servial fear

It is the starting point but must be only a starting point. Servial fear is the fear of consequences. We confess our sins but not from a pure love of God. We are motivated chiefly by a fear of hell, purgatory or temporal earthly consequences. In short, we fear suffering more than we actually love God. It is dangerous for a soul to stay at this level because it is suspect to the deception of easy, faith-alone types of religion.

Filial fear

This is when a soul feels a deep repugnance for sin, a deep crushing sickness. Even if the soul falls into sin because of weakness rather than malice, it experiences a crushing grief and sorrow. A soul at this point often gives far less thought to the consequences it faces and far more to the sense of disappointment it feels within itself for having failed a loving God. This soul feels heartbroken and crushed in spirit and this is a very difficult pain to carry.

However, this is exactly the person God promised to save.

Psalm 34: 18: The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

God doesn't merely save the person because of this experience but though it.

Attrition

Attrition is the disposition of a soul living only in filial fear. If it cannot make progress, it will not have success, but it acts more out of fear of God than out of love for God. A soul that does not truly love God cannot surrender to His will and cannot cooperate with His Grace. It's like the car stuck in the mud, spinning its tires

Contrition

The English word "contrition" comes from Latin contritio (or contritus, the past participle of conterere), meaning "crushed," "ground to pieces," "worn out," or "broken." This evokes the image of a hardened heart or will being pulverized by genuine repentance—breaking the "solidity" of attachment to sin so that God's grace can restore the soul.

 In moral theology, this "crushing" implies a deep interior conversion, not mere emotional regret or remorse.

Catholic teaching, formalized especially at the Council of Trent (Session XIV), distinguishes two kinds of contrition based on the motive for sorrow: perfect contrition (also called contrition of charity) and imperfect contrition (or attrition).

Perfect Contrition

Perfect contrition arises from a love by which God is loved above all else. The sinner grieves primarily because sin offends God, who is infinitely good, lovable, and deserving of all our love. It includes hatred of sin for its own sake (as an offense against divine goodness) and a firm purpose of amendment.

This form of contrition can remit venial sins on its own and even mortal sins (when joined with the intention to confess sacramentally as soon as possible). It reconciles the soul with God even before sacramental absolution, as an act of perfect love.

New Testament examples:

• Mary Magdalene (Luke 7:36-50): She weeps at Jesus' feet, washes them with her tears, and anoints them. Jesus says, "Her sins, many as they are, shall be forgiven her, because she has loved much" (v. 47). Her sorrow flows from love and gratitude toward Christ, not merely fear. Tradition sees this as perfect contrition; she follows Him devotedly afterward.

  
  

• The Penitent Thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43) acknowledges his guilt and turns to Jesus with trust ("Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom"). Jesus promises him paradise that very day. His turning reflects love and confidence in Christ's mercy amid suffering.

  
  

Old Testament roots (foreshadowing perfect love and a broken heart):

• Psalm 51 (David's psalm after his sin with Bathsheba): "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (v. 17). David pleads for mercy based on God's steadfast love, not just punishment.

For the contrite person, sin becomes its own punishment in the sense that the person is so aware of the filth of the sin that he cannot wait to be cleansed from it when it happens and will try to engage every safeguard to prevent himself from falling into it again.

In fact, so repulsed is the contrite person, by his sin, that he is suspect to fall, if he is not careful, into the sin of despair.

The contrite person must always run to the throne of mercy and, fully confident in God's mercy, pick up his cross again and continue on the path or purgation. This sometimes means seeking God through utter darkness, apparent coldness and feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is where the soul gains the opportunity to truly prove it's love. If the question is whether you seek God for God or for His rewards, the only means of proof is if the rewards are temporarily limited or removed.

There is no getting around it. The path of salvation is difficult and painful and requires suffering and perseverance. The gospels tell us this plainly. Few will find it.

Those who do, will one day experience a joy indescribable. Don't give up. Get back up and persevere. He will get you there.