Acknowledging Our Guilt

By H. Thomas Dotterwiech

“Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of his heart. There is no fear of God before his eyes. He so flatters himself in his mind that he knows not his guilt.”
Morning Prayer of Wednesday Week I of the Liturgy of the Hours has the 36th Psalm as the first of the three Psalms for the day. I have probably said this Psalm well over a hundred times as I have prayed by myself or with a group. A recent experience of this Psalm stopped me in my tracks though. I heard those words as if for the very first time…“He so flatters himself in his mind that he knows not his guilt.”

Sin is a daily struggle for all of us. No one is immune from the temptations and struggles of sin. Sadly, many have given in to an idea that sin does not even exist, or if it does it is not that big of a deal. Justification has become the norm and has led to the belief that one’s behaviors, words, or thoughts are not their own, but rather are a product of one’s environment. Self-accountability has become rare.

The words from Psalm 36, read on a Wednesday morning, were still lingering in my mind as I was at Mass with my family the following Sunday. When it came time for the reception of the Holy Eucharist, I could not bring myself to receive. There, in our presence was The Presence, Christ’s glorified body, blood, soul, and divinity. And while I am far from committing any of the “big sins,” I had found that I had become blind to the severity of the sins with which I do struggle. I had been taking the Eucharist for granted. I had justified away my state of sin and was receiving the Blessed Sacrament as if I had a right to it.

St. Paul, in his First Letter to the Corinthians wrote “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.” None of us are truly “worthy” of receiving the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and most assuredly none of us has a right to it. We are made worthy though, by acknowledging our sins, taking ownership of our actions, thoughts, or words, and celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Through the priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus takes away our sin, deposits it at the foot of the cross, and invites us to meet Him at the altar. Through the priest, at the moment of consecration, Christ gives wholly and freely of His body and blood to those who find themselves within a state of grace.

As the holy liturgical season of Lent begins, all are invited to take inventory of those things which keep us from that state of grace and invitation to the altar. Lent is not a single day, but rather a six week long journey of preparing our souls for the celebration of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection.

During these weeks let us overcome the temptation to downplay or justify our sin. Rather, let us acknowledge our free and willing participation in sin and take action to mend our relationship with Christ and His Church through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and thus bring ourselves to a worthy state of grace to receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament.

Important Liturgical Dates

March 5 Second Sunday of Lent
March 12 Third Sunday of Lent
March 19 Laetare Sunday
March 20 Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Observed)
March 25 Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
March 26 Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 2 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
April 6 Holy Thursday
April 7 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
April 8 Holy Saturday
April 9 The Resurrection of the Lord
April 16 Divine Mercy Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter)
April 23 Third Sunday of Easter
April 25 Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist
April 29 Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
April 30 Fourth Sunday of Easter