I'm willing to second OP and say that this has something to do with Our Confession. The part of the Sacrament where you tell the priest your sins is called the Confession, and it goes hand in hand with an acknowledgement that you fucked up (called Contrition).
The actual Penance (settling your spiritual debt), is less about paying God back (because God, being almighty, has no need to be compensated), and more about setting yourself right again, like performing maintenance work on your soul, or making a gesture to show that you truly regret your actions and are willing to turn over a new leaf.
I'm willing to second OP and say that this has something to do with Our Confession. The part of the Sacrament where you tell the priest your sins is called the Confession, and it goes hand in hand with an acknowledgement that you fucked up (called Contrition).The actual Penance (settling your spiritual debt), is less about paying God back (because God, being almighty, has no need to be compensated), and more about setting yourself right again, like performing maintenance work on your soul, or making a gesture to show that you truly regret your actions and are willing to turn over a new leaf.That's definitely a thread that ties in with the events leading up to Our Confession.