Readings: Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

THEME OF THE READINGS
Today’s Readings all speak of the interior conversion of heart towards God, which is shown by actions done in sincerity and purity of heart, and an underlying confidence that God will forgive our sins and purify our hearts. If we repent and convert to God we will experience the joy of his salvation. The prophet Joel appeals in the name of Yahweh to all groups to “come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning. Tear your hearts and not your clothes” (2:12-13). Priests are to intercede with God for their people. Psalm 51, traditionally considered as written by King David, contains the confession of offenses, the cleansing action of God, and the experience of the joy of being saved. The Gospel of Matthew homes in on the sincerity and purity of intention of prayer, fasting and giving to the poor, signs of genuine conversion and repentance. Any religious action done for mere appearance or to promote one’s own image is a sign of hypocrisy.

St. Paul reminds the Christians at Corinth that now is the time to be reconciled with God. God’s Son was treated as a sinner so that we might be justified.

DOCTRINAL MESSAGE
Sin: A constant reality in both the Old and New Testaments is the presence of sin. In general it is a turning away from God and following idols in his place. In particular, it takes the form of specific acts that break God’s Law and show a disregard for God in spite of his goodness and protection. The history of Israel is a constant oscillation between sin and conversion, and between God’s punishment and his mercy. Israel’s liturgical calendar expressed this need of purification in the great Day of Expiation when a sacrificial goat was charged with the sins of the Israelites and driven into the desert. Prayers for forgiveness were offered by the High Priest (Leviticus 16). In the Gospels Jesus shows a remarkable compassion for sinners; he has come for them. He forgives their sins and causes a complete change of perspective in their lives. He offers forgiveness gratuitously and the positive commandment of love that he not only enjoins on sinners, but seems to evoke from their hearts. Sin is seen as an obstacle to the fulfillment of one’s life in love. By removing sin, one is free to love. What is also unusual is the fact that it is precisely people apparently far from God that seem to recognize and to want most this liberation from sin.

Catechism references: paragraphs 386-387 deal with the reality of sin; paragraphs 397-409 deal with man’s first sin and the hard battle against evil; paragraph 1739 speaks of freedom and sin.

God’s forgiveness: Continuing Jesus’ action of forgiving sins, priests are empowered to forgive sins in God’s name and by his power. This forgiveness is real, not merely symbolic, and is always available. God forgives all past sins to those who want to be forgiven.

Catechism references: paragraphs 1440-1470 deal with the sacrament of penance and reconciliation.

Repentance and conversion: In both Testaments conversion and repentance means an inner and profound change of heart. It is not an external washing of stains. While sacramental confession takes the form of the habitual confession of sins, this habit is based on a deeper orientation of one’s whole life towards God. There is in each person, moved by God’s grace, a movement of life towards God. When this movement is freely accepted life opens out to the greater truth; actions, desires and thoughts begin to turn in the same direction. Along this path one can sin, but it is always in the context of a movement of one’s entire being towards God. This is whole-hearted Christian conversion, and it is this lifelong thrust of our lives that gives meaning, not mockery, to habitual confession.

Catechism references: paragraphs 1427-1439 refer to the conversion of the baptized, interior penance and the many forms of penance in Christian life.

PASTORAL APPLICATIONS
Sin is one of the least understood realities even among Christians today. We have become accustomed to a caricature of its meaning, reducing the understanding of sin to its formal aspect of the breach of a rule or norm. This pietistic legalism does not help in appreciating sin’s reality, and it has little appeal to those who choose not to follow the rules. It is of little use in a culture that exalts freedom and autonomy.

We have lost the sense of sin. What we have not lost is the experience of sin, even if we are unable to understand or name it in our lives. We must be careful about attributing a sinful attitude to every action that is morally wrong (it seems that the liberation from sin and the joy of the kingdom was of greater interest to Our Lord than establishing solely the degree of moral responsibility). Even so, sin causes pain that is felt in oneself and in others: a sense of alienation, inner division, shame, frustration, emptiness. This experience of sin is real, and comes to us as a consequence of things we did or failed to do. The plight of the homeless, violence, unloved children, suffering because of another’s infidelity, discrimination, and racial or religious hatred are some of the outward consequences of sinful attitudes of commission or omission, fire or ice.

We need to rediscover the experience of sin as real, harmful, and wrong. The reality of sin is not merely an article of faith; it is a daily, common experience. It is visible. It can also be changed. The image of the prodigal son as a broken man returning home is the starting point. We are called in this life — now — to rebuild our own lives and the lives of others. There is a construction plan. Conversion needs to be understood as a lifelong purpose and task.