What are the three steps to be forgiven of your sins?

Answer 1

First, you have to acknowledge your sins and be actually sorry for them. Then you have to ask for forgiveness through an act of contrition or confession (for serious sin). Finally, you have to make an act of penance.

Acknowledgement can be done by meditating on what you have or have not done that may be immoral. A good time to do this is usually once per day. In preparation for confession, I find that meditating on the 10 commandments one at a time helps shed a lot of light on personal sin that needs confessing.

Making an act of contrition is all that is sufficient for venial (not serious) sin, i.e. saying the Lord's name in vein out of frustration. The prayer typically recited is,

My God, I am heartily sorry for offending you and I detest my sins because I fear your just punishment. Most of all because these sins offend you and you are all loving and deserve all of my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid all occasions that may lead to sin.

For serious (mortal) sin, a confession is required. As a rule of thumb a sin is serious if a.) It is a serious sin, b.) you knew about it before you did it and c.) you did (or did not do) the act with intent. Priests will ask you to pray the act of contrition above at the end of the confession prior to absolution.

Finally, for penance an act of contrition can be something simple for venial sins. The Church has long asked Catholics to do something special on Fridays throughout the year to make up for venial sin. Since Vatican II, the Church leaves it to your discretion (i.e., saying a few extra prayers, doing something special for those you wronged, etc.) In Lent, you are to give up red meat (after the age of 14) for this purpose. Personally, I give up red meat every Friday for venial sin. Mortal sin requires penance assigned to you by the priest hearing the confession.

Answer:

The shortest recorded way to be forgiven, Luke 23:42-43, the thief on the cross:

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."