A Moment of Grace, A Season of Mercy
Lent is not only a time when we look inward. It is a time when we direct our attention to others – to the Lord, to creation and to people. It is not simply a time when we beat our own breasts and feel ashamed of ourselves for what we have done before the Lord. It is a season of experiencing God’s mercy and compassion. God is the focus of our attention, not ourselves. We only look at ourselves as a way of finding the God of love and forgiveness in our lives. Our soul-searching becomes a way of find God actively present in our lives and stories of our lives. We then prepare ourselves to accompany Jesus Christ as he enters into his passion and death so we can also be with him in his glory.
The readings at Mass during the season of Lent speak of conversion, compassion and consolation. Losing a sense of sin is a sorry state. When we lose such sensitivity of our need to be forgiven, we miss being consoled by the mercies of the Lord. When we are unable to feel the loving consolation of our Lord after realizing our sinfulness, then the experience of humility and transparency becomes a distant reality. Losing a sense of sin means we lose our appreciation of our humanity.
At Lent, we decide to choose God’s mercy. At Lent, we relive our humanity and see how divinity hides itself. At Lent, we once again encounter God’s fidelity to us amid our infidelities to him.
“O Lord our God, teach us to be humble and contrite. Show us the way of life. Heal us of our fragility. Restore our friendship so we can once again feel your loving presence. Amen.”
By: FR. ANTONIO F. MORENO, SJ
President, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
