Daniel 9:4-10 / Luke 6:36-38
The season of Lent no doubt has a penitential character and mood.
There are the ashes of Ash Wednesday, the call of repentance, the fasting, the penance, the Way of the Cross and other penitential exercises.
All this is not to make us go on a guilt trip or to remind us of the wrong we have done.
The fact is that we have sinned and we cannot take that lightly.
Because sin has that effect of causing our hearts to be numbed and we can begin to slowly feel that our grave sins are not that serious anymore.
But in the 1st reading, the prophet Daniel has serious things to say about his people - we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed Your Commandments.
He even went on to say that they have committed treason against the Lord.
We can't say any less than that about ourselves.
We have to face our sinfulness and ask for forgiveness.
May our acts of penance during Lent be an offering to the Lord to ask for forgiveness.
The Lord who is merciful and compassionate will certainly forgive us, and we too forgive others.