MARCH32026

Lent is a time for the repentance of sin. However, contemporary American culture has an impoverished notion of sin that distorts the meaning of the season. When people come to the sacrament to confess their sins they will mention some sexual picadillo or eating too much or getting angry or missing mass on Sunday. While those personal failings need to be repented of focusing on them can mask the true power that sin has over our lives. When the prophet Isaiah talks about sin he is after much bigger fish: “Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” True repentance demands examining all our relationships in the light of God’s all embracing love. If anyone is not being treated with compassion, forgiveness and mercy then sin is at work. If I am holding onto making my life easier even when it harms other people sin is at work. If I look on anyone as outside of my circle of care then sin is at work. Repentance is seeing everyone as God does.