Second Sunday Of Lent: Preparing To Burn Sins

The best Lenten offering by far is to give God ourselves with our sins, with a firm intention to not keep wallowing in sin. How could any other offerings to God compare, when we are still stewing in our sins? There are several ways to offer God our sins, with purpose of amendment of life: At every Eucharist, as we attend, we can and should invite the Holy Spirit to search our heart, to make each of us aware of the wrong we are personally doing, and move us to change. In prayer, each of us must do the same thing daily: “LORD, you search me and you know me.  Help me to know myself as You know me, and to come clean in your Presence.” Furthermore, we offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation for those who intend to be changed by grace and by your free choices. In addition, twice a year we offer a public action of burning our sins: Each of us must think about what we have done wrong, or failed to do right; scribble them down in some form, and bring our sins to the fire we prepare in each parish next week-end. Be attentive, for this is crucial: What seems to be lacking in many of us is a searching and fearless self-examination of how we are living, how we ignore God, ways in which we deceive ourselves and others. We often examine ourselves superficially. Whether in the confessional, in discussions, and surely by examining my own life and failures, this truth becomes obvious: Most of us do not know how to examine our lives in real depth in order to root our sin and wrong-doing. We quickly glance at ourselves, and come with a few sentences to mutter, as if this serves as a real heartfelt self-examination. We toss in a few pennies of sin, and keep the big bucks of evil doing. What can and should one do? Make a list of serious wrong-doing or wrongful attitudes, and ask yourself: How have I harmed others by these actions? What effects do these sins have in my life, in my character, in what I think, say, and do? How am I contributing to the sufferings of others by the way I live? Looking back over my life, what patterns emerge and recur? Am I willing to make amends to those whom I have harmed, cheated, deceived, used for my own pleasure?  If God were to call me to account right now—and God ever seeks to bring us into the light of His righteous judgment and mercy—what would show up? What evil clings to me?  What evils am I clinging to, am I afraid to renounce here and now?  Such a fearless inventory is and ought to be an important part of Lent.