Second Monday of Lent

O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.

When we sin against God we should be shame-faced. We should recognize what we have done wrong and be contrite and sorrowful for our thoughts, words, or works. We should seek God’s Compassion and Forgiveness and do penance to make ourselves right with Him and those whom we sinned against. And after all of this, we need to amend our lives so we can resist the temptations we are faced with and avoid repeating our sins. We are all called to heed God’s Commandments and to live by His laws of selfless love for Himself, others, and even ourselves. We are asked to become prophets and servants of the Good News, proclaiming it through our actions. Each step toward heaven requires a sacrifice of our selfish pride in favor of a selfless humility. It is only when we keep the New Covenant and learn to love God and others with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths that we become the good and faithful servants we are all called to be.

What are our sins? How can we amend our lives so that we rid ourselves of these failings? What can we do to live by God’s Divine Law from this day forth?

O Lord, we are sorry for all our sins and hope you will give us the grace we need to confess them, do penance, withstand temptations, and sin no more.

Amen.