Second Saturday of Lent

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.

God is the only one who can remove our guilt and pardon our sins. He has every right to be angry with us for our sins. We turn our backs on Him when we give into temptations and squander the gifts He has given us when we use them for selfish reasons or fail to use them at all. However, He is not an angry or vengeful God. He does not want to crush us under unbearable burdens. He does not want us to wallow in destitution, starve, or be alone. Rather He is the God of Clemency and Compassion. He is with us always, no matter how forsaken we might feel. He wants to raise us up, to give us grace, to show us He loves us. We might not always see Him beside us, or hear His Word in our ears, or feel His presence, but He is there. He will not abandon us in our times of need.

Do we turn to God to remove our guilt and pardon our sins? Do we seek out the sacrament of reconciliation or do we assume He will forgive us without acts of contrition and penance? What can we do to imitate the clemency and compassion of God?

O Lord, you are the source of all forgiveness and mercy. Help me to be a font of both to others.

Amen.