February 20 Lent Day 3
Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
REFLECTION
If being poor in spirit is the key that opens the door to the kingdom of God, it is our grief over the broken condition of our hearts, the brokenness of the world around us, and the distance between us and our Creator that shows our discontent with the worldly things of this life. If we do not mourn sin, we will never be able to embrace grace. The blessing God promises is the cleansing of sin, forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life in Christ.
We can find solace in the knowledge that our sorrow is only possible because God created us in his own image…especially the ability to love. In the same way, when we comprehend the darkness of our own lives, the fractured nature of our relationships, and the dysfunction of human communities, we find ourselves consumed with grief, mourning all that is lost and all that could have been. Here is the good news:
When we feel the weight of our sin, it is not a sign of rejection…It is a sign of grace! A mourning heart is already being drawn toward comfort and we never walk the path of repentance alone.
PRAYER: Lord, hear our cries of sorrow. We have examined our hearts and found them broken. We have looked around and seen your Creation broken by sin. We know there is no hope in our own strength or hope – it is your grace alone that can alleviate our pain, replace our mourning with joy, and drive the darkness out with your divine light. AMEN
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