Day One: Regular Confession.

As we embark on this spiritual journey of prayer, fasting, mortification, and almsgiving, I urge all fellow Christians to fully embrace the practice of regularly going for confession. For the Bible clearly reaffirms that we are all sinners: “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NABRE), and we fall short of God's grace each time we sin.

We sin in multiple ways; through our thoughts, deeds, actions, desires, and what we see and hear. In these 40 days of Lent, let us use this sacred period as a moment of deep self-examination, delving into the interior corners of our hearts to identify the sins that hinder us from joyfully celebrating Easter. Our desires or thoughts become sins when we allow them to control our actions. Consider the example Jesus gives: a man who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart—“But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28, NABRE). While we cannot always prevent fleeting thoughts, we must ensure they do not lead us to satisfy bodily desires. In such moments, we should immediately call upon the Holy Spirit to redirect our thoughts toward holy things. Even if we have not committed adultery physically, there is still a need to confess these interior sins to root them out completely and receive God's healing mercy.

Just think of a house that is swept and mopped every day—does it prevent dust or dirt from accumulating? No, dirt will always gather, so continual cleaning is necessary. The same applies to our souls: regular Confession means we are continually and consistently tidying up our spiritual lives. The Mother Church offers this Sacrament as a precious gift, instituted by Jesus Himself. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus grants the authority to forgive sins when He says to Peter, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19, NABRE; cf. Matthew 18:18 NABRE, where this power extends to the apostles collectively). We also read in the Book of James about the role of confession and intercession: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful” (James 5:16, NABRE).

It is therefore paramount to go for Confession as often as possible during these 40 days—and may it become an ingrained habit that continues beyond Lent throughout all our days on earth.

Let us pray: O Good Jesus, You instructed St. Faustina that all sinners should immerse themselves in the Ocean of Your Mercy. Grant us the courage and graces to be truly contrite and make worthy confessions during these 40 days of Lent. Just as Your Divine Mercy knows no boundaries, cleanse us white as snow even if our souls are deeply stained with sin. May the fire of Your love burn always in our hearts. Jesus, I Trust In You!