Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent

We pray through Lent on why the Mass begins with confession of sin, how Scripture frames that encounter with God, and what real repentance looks like. We explain the difference between venial and mortal sin and share simple practices that open us to mercy.

• opening prayers of Lent and their purpose 
• meeting God and recognising personal sin 
• why the Confiteor uses I not we 
• moving from guilt to repentance and mission 
• venial versus mortal sin and reception of Communion 
• practices that dispose the soul to forgiveness 
• brief examen and concrete amendment in daily life

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this land, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet now available on Amazon.com 
The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store 
More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org

Transcript

Opening Prayers Of Lent

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Wednesday in the second week of Lent, in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. In the Scriptures, when someone meets the Lord or witnesses his wonders, they either recognize their sinfulness or are told that they are sinful. Exodus 3, Isaiah 6, and Luke 5 show this happening with Moses, Isaiah, and Saint Peter, respectively. This shouldn't surprise us, really, because as fallen mortal creatures, it can be shocking to come before the divine and recognize how unclean we are in comparison. In this same vein, we daily start the Mass with the penitential act, very often using the confetor prayer, I confess. We are in the presence of the Holy One, the all-pure God, yet we stand there as sinners, unclean in so many ways because we have greatly sinned. The prayer goes on to emphasize the many ways in which we have done this, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do. Notice at this moment that we do not speak as we, like we will soon in the Gloria, but rather personally as I. We do not relegate sin to some collective act and thereby mitigate our own responsibility. No. Rather, we recognize that through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault, I myself have sinned against God and neighbor. I am the one who has forgotten love and chosen sin in some way. How important it is to recognize this. We are in fact sinners who have crucified the Lord of glory and are in need of a Savior. Therefore, we start Mass with this act of penance. By publicly denouncing ourselves as sinners in need of mercy and prayer, we place ourselves in humble submission to the justice of God, who then wants to have mercy on us. Beginning thus, we have hope of going further in our love, devotion, and service of the Lord. Yes, Moses, Isaiah, and Saint Peter started off recognizing their sin, but they went further than that, into true repentance, which led to real relationship with God that eventually made them saints and gained them a place in heaven. In addition, it is good to note that this public confession of sin, even though it does not regard the specific sins as much as it does our general state of sinfulness, can to a degree bring about the forgiveness we need and desire. Saint Thomas Aquinas says that there are certain things that can bring about the remission of venial sins as long as we are living a normally sacramental life, which includes regular confession. Mortal sins, for example, are only forgiven in confession, and we should not receive the Eucharist if there is a mortal sin on our souls. These things would include receiving the sacraments, praying the confetor or an act of contrition, beating one's breast with a fist, praying the Lord's Prayer, receiving a bishop's blessing, sprinkling holy water, saying prayer in a church, and other such things of this kind. Boldly confess your sin as we pray at Mass, and thereby receive the reward of one who repents of sin and embraces the love of God. May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. Do you seek forgiveness of sins from God and neighbor? Do you pray for sinners, especially that they be converted? Do you ignore any sin in your own life or try to explain it away instead of taking responsibility for it? All that I have, and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this land, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.