40 Days

200 Words: The only way internal change will be effected is through honesty and mercy.

The first words of our 40 days of prayer, fasting and generosity are from Wisdom 11. They bring us into the mystery of sin and the mystery of mercy:

You are merciful to all, O Lord, and despise nothing that you have made. You overlook people’s sins, to bring them to repentance, and you spare them, for you are the Lord our God (Entrance Antiphon, Ash Wednesday).

We are living at a time of great change. Pope Francis speaks about ‘a change of era, not an era of change.’

It’s important not to be left behind.

By this I mean we should not watch and witness external change, while failing to address internal change. Both are necessary.

The only way internal change will be effected is through honesty and mercy.

Sin separates us from God, from others, from ourselves. A simple examination of conscience, based on the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, will aid honesty with self.

But only the grace of God will bring about repentance and change. We will not be able to do it on our own strength.

The ‘narrow path’ is:

Asking for forgiveness, receiving mercy.

40 days well spent. That’s for sure.

Amen.