March Adoration: Lent - The Path of Conversion

Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. Before any important event, we need a good preparation, we need to prepare ourselves. What we are waiting for is Easter, the "passage of the Lord" that brings us freedom and grace, a renewed life, a new garment, because he wants to dress us all in Easter clothes.

Preparation for these decisive events and encounters is what we call "conversion", a way of being, like a dying and rising, like being born again. The imposition of ashes marks us as pilgrims on the way of conversion towards the feast of Light.

- O God, come to my aid.

- Lord, make haste to help me.

- Glory to the Father...

- As it was  in the beginning...

HYMN

Walk, people of God.

New law, new covenant in the new creation.

Walk, people of God.

Beyond, on Calvary, on the rock there is a cross.

Death that begets Life, new people, new Light.

Christ has saved us by his death and resurrection.

All things are reborn in the new Creation.

Walk, people of God.

Silence For Adoration.

Psalm 51.

Experience teaches us how fragile we are, how wrapped up we are in our guilt and how incapable we are of getting out of it ourselves. But we learn, above all, what God's heart is like, how his mercy goes beyond our sin, how his love is capable of creating new people in us.

Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;

in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.

Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me.

For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your eyes

So that you are just in your word, and without reproach in your judgment.

Behold, I was born in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me.

Behold, you desire true sincerity; and secretly you teach me wisdom.

Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

You will let me hear gladness and joy; the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities.

A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit.

Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit.

Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit.

I will teach the wicked your ways,

that sinners may return to you.

Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God,

and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice.

Lord, you will open my lips;

and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Silence for meditation.

Reading.

"When sometimes we are sad because of our sins, let us bring to mind that commandment which the Lord gave to forgive seventy times seven; for it is certain that this law of so much mercy which the Lord laid upon us, He will keep it more perfectly than we do."

St. John Climacus

Silence for reflection.

Have you experienced the joy of God's forgiveness by forgiving one who has offended you? Try it, it is worth it.

Petitions.

- For our forgetfulness and infidelity...

R/ Forgive us, Lord, forgive us.

- For our errors and ravings...

- For our attachments and slaveries...

- For our unfaithfulness and cowardice...

- For our lack of solidarity and commitment...

- For our individualism and egoism...

- For our individualism and selfishness...

Our Father. 

Prayer.

Forgive, Lord, our weaknesses and sins and grant us the abundance of your mercy. Through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.