“Facing Reality”

Facing reality can be a challenge… often it’s painful.  I may not like a particular aspect of my life, so I can tend to dismiss it, ignore it…. “hey I need to get a new mirror… the one I have is distorted… I look a lot better than that”. Hmmmmm. Over time, we may accept more and more who we really are. For example, I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m not going to become a professional athlete… hey, there may be a chance, but probably not, especially since I can’t touch the net or throw a pass of over 5 yards. 

Lent is a good time to assess reality, especially in regards to my eternal soul. How am I doing spiritually…am I ready to meet the Lord in judgement? Am I ready to take responsibility for my sin. If I don’t admit I’m a sinner than I can’t receive forgiveness from the Lord. “O God, be merciful to me a sinner”> (Luke 18:13)

I recently read that “it is always tempting to take credit for the gifts of grace and to lay the blame elsewhere for my faults…..yikes,  hitting close to home. If we do not claim responsibility for the choices that are truly ours , neither can we ask for or accept forgiveness. Two heavy for us, our offenses— too heavy not to allow the Lord to wipe them away.” (Magnificat 3-13-21)

It’s an awful moment when we realize that we have sinned. Auuuuughhhh. We may try to deny its reality or minimize it, yet it’s like cancer in the body…you just can’t wish it away…. it keeps coming to the surface. We need the divine surgeon to come, make the diagnosis, help us to accept the diagnosis and embrace the treatment plan. “Merciful and compassionate is the Lord, your God, and he will not turn away his face from you if you return to him”. (2 Chron. 30:9)

So, where does that leave us? It leaves us with a wonderful opportunity. We need saving and we have wonderful savior. Wow, that’s a good thing. God wants us to be happy and he is the one who can make us happy. We just need to place our life in his hands… each day. When we do, we can have peace. 

The closing morning prayer on March 13^th sums it up very well.

“ God of mercy and compassion, grant us the honesty and courage to beat our breasts beside the humble tax collector rather than blow our own trumpet beside the Pharisee. Forgive us the pride that refuses forgiveness , thru Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Magnificat 3-13-21)  Wow, that is really good news.