First Friday of Lent

If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.  Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD.  Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?

Our lives are full of choices, both good and bad. Sometimes we choose sin over virtue. Sometimes we allow opportunities for good to pass us by without seizing them. Sometimes we do the wrong thing for selfish reasons. However, God is willing to forgive us if we are willing to turn away from our sins and make amends. If we seek Him out through the sacrament of confession, He will be more than willing to forget our past offenses and wash away our iniquities. But we must stay on the narrow path to heaven if we wish to have eternal life because just as he will forget our sins when we seek forgiveness, so too, He will forget our virtues if we fall into mortal sin. This is why it is so important to be ever on our guard against all temptation and choose good over evil.

What temptations and sins do we need to turn away from? How can we guard against them? Do we make regular use of the sacrament of confession?

O Lord, help us to turn away from our sins.

Amen.