Book of Micah 7,14-15.18-20.
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, That dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.
Psalms 103(102),1-2.3-4.9-10.11-12.
Of David. Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, my soul; do not forget all the gifts of God,
Who pardons all your sins, heals all your ills,
Delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion,
God does not always rebuke, nurses no lasting anger,
Has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our deeds deserve.
As the heavens tower over the earth, so God's love towers over the faithful.
As far as the east is from the west, so far have our sins been removed from us.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15,1-3.11-32.
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them he addressed this parable. Then he said, "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"
Saint Andrew of Crete (660-740), monk and Bishop
Grand canon of the Orthodox Lenten liturgy, 1st ode
How shall I begin to weep for the works of my life?
What shall be the first notes of my mourning chant?
In your mercy, O Christ, grant me the forgiveness of my sins…
As the potter who moulds the clay
So you have given me, O my Creator, flesh and bones, breath and life.
O Lord who created me, my judge and Saviour,
Take me back to you this day.
O my Saviour, before you I confess my sins.
I have fallen beneath the blows of the Adversary;
Behold the wounds with which my death-dealing thoughts
Have wounded, like brigands, my soul and body (Lk 10,30f.).
I have sinned, my Lord, yet I know that you love mankind.
It is in tenderness you chastise us
And in your ardent compassion.
You see me weeping and come towards me
Like the Father welcoming the prodigal son.
Since my youth, O my Saviour, I have despised your commandments.
I have spent my life in obsession and heedlessness.
I call to you: Before I die,
Save me…
I have dissipated in emptiness the inheritance of my soul.
I lack the fruits of fervour and now I feel hunger.
I cry out: Father, full of compassion, come to me,
Take me in your mercy.
The one whom the robbers attacked (Lk 10,30f.)
Is myself in the midst of the wandering of my thoughts.
They strike me and wound me.
But you, O Christ my Saviour, bend down to me and heal me.
The priest sees me and turns away.
The Levite sees me, naked and in distress, but passes by on the other side.
But you, O Jesus born of Mary,
You stop to help me.
Jesus, I cast myself at your feet;
I have sinned against your love.
Free me from this burden for it is too heavy for me
And, in your mercy, take me to yourself.
Do not enter into judgement with me,
Do not uncover my deeds,
Nor inspect my motives and desires.
But in your compassion, All-Powerful one,
Close your eyes to my sins and save me.
Now is the time of repentance. I come to you.
Free me from the heavy burden of my sins
And, in your gentleness, grant to me tears of repentance.
GUILT RIDDANCE
"Who is there like You, the God Who removes guilt?" –Micah 7:18
In today's eucharistic Scriptures, the Lord throws our repented sins far into the ocean, into the very depths of the sea (Mi 7:19). Then He puts up a huge sign marked: "No Swimming!" Yet some of us don't really understand God's amazing love. We put on a spiritual wetsuit, dive into the ocean to retrieve our guilt, and spend years feeling guilty for having caused God and others so many problems. We're more comfortable in our prison of guilt than in being set free by Jesus.
The Lord doesn't want us to move back into prison after He's set us free. He grabs the guilt we recovered from the sea and tramples it under His feet (Mi 7:19). Jesus is serious. He really doesn't want us to take back that guilt. At this point, some of us are tempted to feel guilty about feeling guilty. This is why Jesus tells the story about the prodigal son. Jesus wants to see the guilty party – with music and celebration (Lk 15:23, 25).
When we're truly set free from our prison of guilt, however, not everyone rejoices. People want to put us back into our prison cell. When Jesus removes and tramples our guilt, we are free indeed! (Jn 8:36) Don't pay attention to what others think. Instead, focus on what Jesus thinks. We must "fix [our] eyes on Jesus" (Heb 3:1). If He is for us, who can be against us? (Rm 8:31) If Jesus alone rejoices to see us free from guilt, then our opponents are outnumbered. "So stand firm, and do not take on yourselves the yoke of slavery" and guilt "a second time" (Gal 5:1).
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