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both outwardly and within us. This rupture is sin.” The lives of
our brothers and sisters
–
especially those living in poverty
–
as well as the planet itself are threatened. We must change
our ways.
“Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned”, we pray in today’s
psalm. We are confident our God will bestow mercy because
Jesus, the Word of God, became flesh so we could learn from
one like us how we might become reconciled to our God. We
must, however, change our ways. The practices of the Lenten
season both encourage and enable us to do just that. Through
prayer, fasting and almsgiving we can repair the vital relationships with God, our neigh-
bor and the earth ruptured by sin. As Paul expressed so clearly in today’s reading from
Corinthians: “For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we
might become the righteous of God in him.”
Hopefully, the liturgy on this Ash Wednesday in the Jubilee Year of Mercy will inspire
us to remember our past, to change our ways and to return to the Lord with our whole
heart.
P
RAYER
May our prayer be that of Pope Francis at the conclusion of “Laudato Si”:
Throughout these days of Lent:
“Awaken our praise and thankfulness
for every being that you have made.
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined to everything that is.
God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Amen”
______
Bill Metzdorf,
Parishioner