First Wednesday of Lent

“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Although God might not send a prophet to us warning of our destruction if we do not repent, He does give us all a conscience. This voice inside us warns us against evil and exhorts us to do good. It is the voice that calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It asks us to seek God’s forgiveness for our trespasses against Him. It wants us to be worthy of God’s Love and not His Wrath. Only by turning our backs on evil and choosing what is good that we can fulfill our vocation to know, love, and serve God and His children. If we do all these things, then God will forgive us our trespasses, offer us a way to reconcile with Him, and give us the grace to carry out His Will.

Do we listen to our consciences? What can we do to show God we are repentant? How can we prove we have turned away from sin and chosen what is right?

O Lord, we want to prove through our actions that we have chosen you above all else.

Amen.