Monday of the Second Week of Lent
(Daniel 9:4b-10; Luke 6:36-38)
Last week Pope Francis held his annual Reconciliation
Service with the priests of Rome. He
told the priests something of which they were already aware but perhaps needed
to hear again. Actually it is something of
which all Catholics need to be reminded of continually. Francis said that priests must be continually
“on guard against the temptation self-sufficiency and self-satisfaction.” This is the purpose of confession. We declare ourselves as sinners, which is to
say we are not satisfied with our behavior.
We likewise asks God’s mercy, which is to say we cannot live without
forgiveness.
In today’s first reading Daniel makes similar claims for
the Jewish population exiled in Babylon.
He recognizes that the people have sinned terribly in varied ways. He also asks God’s forgiveness on their
behalf. In the gospel Jesus says that
people can count on forgiveness as long as they are willing to forgive.
We do not like to admit our faults. For this reason some people avoid confession,
and others make excuses when they have done something wrong. These strategies take us from our final
goal. It is wise to own our sins and ask
God’s mercy. When we do so, we should find
ourselves understanding of others and ready to forgive. Then we will be, as Jesus commands, “’merciful,
just as (our) Father is merciful.’”
