Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The tragedy greater than all others is to be blind and to say that we can see. There are so many areas where we are perilously blind to the ways in which our actions, words, thoughts and desires have jeopardized our eternal salvation. Our redemption in Christ must begin with an honest assessment of our fallen nature, with our intellects darkened and our wills weakened, wounded by the effects of the sin of Adam and Eve. We dread to hear our Lord speak these words in judgment of us: ” ‘But we see’, you say, and your sin remains.” Self-righteousness and hypocritical posturing are abhorrent to God, who favors us when we embrace our true place before him as Our Lady does, one of humility and gratitude, of praise and thanksgiving. This is accomplished by heeding the Lord’s call for repentance through authentic conversion.
Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, (Cf. Am 5:24; Isa 1:17.) by the admission of faults to one’s brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one’s cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance. (Cf. Lk 9:23.) (CCC 1435)
The Catechism illuminates the teaching of our Lord.
Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly as with themselves. (Lk 5:30) Against those among them ‘who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others,” Jesus affirmed: ‘I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'(Lk 18:9) He went further by proclaiming before the Pharisees that, since sin is universal, those who pretend not to need salvation are blind to themselves. (Jn 8:33-36; 9:40-41) (CCC 588)
Our Lenten journey toward Easter cannot be complete without the fullness of God’s mercy granted in sacramental Confession. Since all are with sin, all are in need of repentance. In Lent we must let the scales fall from our eyes, to see ourselves as we truly are before our thrice-holy God. Whether or not we are conscious of mortal sin, Confession always grants the graces of Christ to the repentant sinner.