The season of Lent began
yesterday. So today I’m having my “preparation
for Easter” thoughts. Words like repentance,
confession, forgiveness, absolution, contrition and penance come to mind. These are important words because they lead
to a clean heart and a clean soul with which to celebrate the Resurrection of
Our Lord and receive the Eucharist at the Easter Mass.
In the
Catholic Church, we have a prayer that sums it up. It is called the Act of Contrition. I’m writing it down below in a way that I
hope will indicate the awesomeness of each little phrase. Catholics will recognize it as the prayer
that a penitent sinner recites as our final statement after confessing his/her sins
to a priest in the confessional.
Oh, My God … I am heartily sorry for having
offended thee ... and I detest all my sins … because I dread the loss of heaven
… and the pain of hell, ... but most of
all because they offend thee, my God … who are all good … and deserving of all
my love. I firmly resolve, with of help
of thy grace … to confess my sins … do penance … and amend my life. Amen.
Tears often
come to my eyes while reciting this prayer in a slow, deliberate manner in the
confessional each time I receive the sacrament.
How awesome and comforting it is to know that we have a compassionate,
merciful, and loving God standing at the ready to forgive even our most serious of sins.
I wish all
my readers the holiest and most blessed Lent ever. Amen!
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