3RD WEEK OF LENT

O God, be merciful to me a sinner. 

Even before he uttered his prayer, the tax collector’s gestures revealed what was in his heart: he stood at a distance, beat his breast, and lowered his eyes (Luke 18:13). He knew that he was a sinner in need of God’s mercy, and so he humbly approached God and asked for it.

Does Jesus want us to stand at a distance and lower our eyes when we go to church tomorrow? Probably not, but through this parable, he does show us how pleased he is by an attitude of humility and genuine repentance. And the first step in cultivating such an attitude is to understand that we are sinners in need of God’s mercy.

This is where an examination of conscience comes in. It’s a helpful tool that can lead us to honestly reflect on the ways we have fallen short. As we do this, the Spirit will stir up in us a genuine desire to seek God’s mercy. In this issue, we have included one on the inside front cover.

Examining our conscience can keep us from drifting away from the Lord, not only in serious ways, but also in more subtle ways. Just as a boat may gradually drift off course if the captain doesn’t pay attention, we can slowly drift away from the Lord without a regular review of our lives. That’s what happened to the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable—he didn’t see how the sins of pride and self-righteousness were affecting his relationship with God.

It can be painful as we carefully review our actions to discover where we have gone off course. But the Holy Spirit is gentle and kind. Even as he convicts us of our sin, he reassures us that God loves us and wants nothing more than to forgive us. He also helps us see just how much we need his help to grow in loving God and his people.

So make it a point to get to Confession at least once during this Lenten season. And when you go, come to the Lord with an honest and humble heart, just as the tax collector did. Don’t shy away from admitting your need for your Savior. God has an ocean of mercy waiting for you and is ready to forgive all your sins.

“Jesus, ‘be merciful to me a sinner’ (Luke 18:13).”

Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21
Luke 18:9-14

WORD AMONG US