+ On this day in Lent the church asks us to look at our sins, and our experience
with sinning as we have encountered it thus far in our lives. Such an honest
look at ourselves may surprise us when in retrospect we can more clearly see
when we were uncharitable, when we were less than helpful, when we were more
self-absorbed and self-interested, when we preferred our own comfort over going
outside of our comfort zones to help another, when we manipulated the truth in
order to make ourselves look better, when we enjoyed the sensation of feeling
just a bit superior to another person, when we said “Yes” when we should have
said “No”, when we said “No” when we ought to have said “Yes” – when we fired
God and decided to be the center of our own universe.
Yes, this is only a
partial listing on how we may have sinned in the past, or sin presently. Of
course, there is also the more serious “commandment-smashing” kinds of sins
that we may have participated in as well – these too add to the “scarlet-ness”
of our sinful souls – the “crimson red-ness” –
but we must remember
that it is the “blood red” of the sanguinary offer of Christ Jesus to remit
these and all sins that overrides all our excuse making – sets us in all
humility in front of our broken, battered and beaten Lord and Redeemer – and
then, has us reflect, repent, and react by recommitting ourselves
wholeheartedly to “doing the Father’s will” – which is always best for us,
which always leads to health and happiness, which always sets us on the path to
eternal life and bliss.
Let us “cast away
from us all the crimes – great and small – that we have committed, and make for
ourselves a new heart and a new spirit” – other centered, and motivated by the
glorification of our God and Father!
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