Friday of the First Week of Lent
(Ezekiel
18:21-28; Matthew 5:20-26)
So many
people remain stuck in their vices that stories of conversions seem hard to
come by. Who knows many individuals who
lived for years lives in deceit but now are model Christians? However, every Alcoholics Anonymous group can
give hundreds of examples. The number of
conversion stories becomes gigantic with the one hundred three thousand AA
groups in the world today.
Both
Scripture readings speak of the need for conversion. The Lord says in Ezekiel that when one
converts, past sins are forgotten. The
converted person does not have to worry about her debts, at least to the
Lord. In the gospel Jesus implores sinners
to reconcile with those they have offended.
If not, he warns, they will pay a heavy price.
Lent is a
time of conversion. We make amends. We start anew. One writer notes how many families are guilty
of willful neglect by seldom eating together. He suggests that the family meal
would serve as a better Lenten practice than giving up desserts. We should create at least one new habit each
Lent that would move us out of a sinful way.
