Monday of the Second Week of Lent
(Daniel 9:4b-10; Luke 6:36-38)
Preparing for the Jubilee Year 2000 Pope Saint John Paul II
called upon the Church to make a “purification of memory.” This term sounds
strange. Memories may not be accurate
and in need of correction. But how is
this a “purification”? It turns out that
the saintly pope had in mind first a communal acknowledgement of past sins of
the Church. He wanted Catholics to own
the sins of racism, intolerance of credal difference, marginalization of women,
and other such social abuses that have compromised the Church’s holiness. Second, as part of the process of
purification St. John Paul wanted the faithful to remember how they and their
ancestors were sinned against. Here,
however, instead of seeking an apology, they were to offer forgiveness. In these ways the Church was to renew itself
to carry out the work of the gospel more effectively.
Daniel’s lament of Israel’s sins against God in today’s
first reading demonstrates a “purification of memory.” The prophet, hoping for forgiveness,
acknowledges the many sins that brought about the anguish of the Babylonian
exile. With God’s mercy the nation could
be reborn, as it were, to make a fresh start at modeling the Lord’s ways.
Each Lent we are called upon to enact a “purification of
memory.” We should call to mind our sins, especially the most grievous ones,
and pray that God will give us the strength never to commit them again. We also want to remember the times in which
we have been sinned against and to pray for our persecutors. Doing so, at Easter we will emerge from our
Lenten retreat to serve better God and humans.
