Far from this being a curse or a punishment it is in reality a great blessing. If the damned could shed a single penitential tear they could entertain hope.
Tears that flow from a contrite heart have a wonderful virtue _ they cleanse from the stain of sin. Tears that have their source in the perfect love of God cleanse the conscience from all stains of sin, be they ever so grievous and numerous. St. Peter who had sinned in denying Christ bitterly bewailed his fall, wherefore Pope Leo the Great says: "Blessed by thy tears, holy Peter, which had the virtue of baptism for the washing away of the guilt of thy denial." St. Mary Magdalen, who wept at the feet of Christ and wiped them with her hair, heard these words from Christ: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much." The shedding of tears is not a sacrament, but it surpasses in some respect the Sacrament of Baptism inasmuch as it can be repeated, while this is not possible with the sacramental rite. St. Augustine calls penitential tears a salutary bath, which cleanses the human heart as often as it needs cleansing.
Penitential tears are like martyrdom. Martyrdom, as well as baptism, leads to heaven, and it is even a substitute for baptism with water. The unbaptized who give their life for Christ can be saved, so Christ assures us in plain words: "He that shall lose his life for me shall find it." (Matt. 10:39) Not all are called to the palm of martyrdom; it is not granted to all to shed their blood for Christ; but all can shed tears, all can truly repent of their sins and cleanse their soul from the filth of sin. As we wash our face as soon as we see any filth on it, so let us not delay to wash our heart with penitential tears, if we have defiled it by a sin. These tears must be truly penitential, not merely flowing from the eyes, but tears which have their source in a true, supernatural repentance.
David washed his couch every night with his penitential tears. St. Chrysostom says: "Tears like David's quench even the fire of Hell."
Christ says: "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." (Matt. 5:5) By those that mourn, we must understand those who mourn for their sins, and are sorry for having offended God, their greatest benefactor and most kind father. St. Augustine says: "Nothing is nearer to misery than a tear, and nothing more remote from misery than happiness. And yet it is said: `Blessed are they that mourn.' How then can they that mourn be blessed? Only in respect to the promise of Christ that they shall be comforted in heaven. As soon as God sees that a sinner repents of his sins and bewails them, He turns to him full of love and mercy, and assures him of forgiveness, grace and heaven."
St. Chrysostom says: "If before a human court, after the sentence is passed, you weep and lament, you will not by your weeping change the sentence, but before the divine tribunal you will change the sentence, if from your heart you cry for mercy."
Heaven is not given to all , but only to those who labor for it, according to the words of Christ: "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." (Matt. 11:12) The violent are the just, who take care not to fall into mortal sin, but constantly strive to lead a virtuous life; and sinners who having had the misfortune to fall into grievous sins endeavor to rise again and to wash away their sins with penitential tears. These, like the just will bear away heaven, because, like them, they use violence.
Let us follow the admonition of Almighty God: "Be converted to Me with all your heart in fasting, in weeping and in mourning." (Joel 2: 12) Let us bewail our sins, not only apparently, but truly, from the bottom of our heart, with contrition and sorrow for all our sins, for the sake of God, whom we have grievously offended, and whose love and grave we have lost with the firm purpose of never more offending Him; also let us make a good confession and conceal nothing out of fear or shame that we know to be sin. These are the tears which remove the filth of our sins, extinguish the fire of hell, and carry us to heaven.