A time to repent

The Church gives this season of Lent as a time for repentance. There is sadness amidst us brought about by the realization of the sins we commit. But there is also joy as we savor the love and compassion of the Lord giving Himself for us.

To express this repentance, we were reminded of the three ancient practices as we heard the Gospel of Ash Wednesday: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Prayer as true encounter with the Lord in the room of our heart brings us joy always. Fasting as our practice of self-control makes us win the spiritual battle against all evils. Almsgiving makes us see the face of Christ beyond the chalice as we become concerned about the needs of the poor. These practices we must observe without mere show but with genuine motives.

Grab this opportunity, this beautiful season of the Church when we reclaim our true selves. Be truly prayerful. Be spiritually strong through fasting. Be joyful in almsgiving. Savor the journey of repentance. As Saint John Chrysostom says, “Be ashamed when you sin, do not be ashamed when you repent. Sin is the wound, repentance is the medicine. Sin is followed by shame; repentance is followed by boldness. Satan has overturned this order and given boldness to sin and shame to repentance.”