It is 18th March 2019. We celebrate the memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. A practical theologian who demonstrated compassion towards the poo in an outstanding way. The readings are from Daniel 9:4-10; and the Gospel from Luke 6:36-38. Acknowledging and confessing our sins is the only way to be repented completely. No repentance is possible without confessing our sins sincerely. More we refuse to confess, more seated the wounds become rooted in our souls leading us to sin without any remorse and guilt. Lent is the time to confess. It is the moment of grace and forgiveness. God is so gracious and merciful in this special time for our souls and spirits. We have failed, rebelled, retaliated, retorted against God and therefore let us confess our sins. There is no reason we have to hold our sins. Healing comes by confessing (James 5:16). Let us find a priest to confess our sins as early as possible. More we hold our sins in ourselves, more we become sick spiritually and physically. It is indeed very hard to confess when we are constantly engaging ourselves talking about the sins of the others and refusing to look at our own innumerable sins. Mercy and forgiveness are inseparable. Wherever mercy resides, there overflows the forgiveness. As we are so fast to judge others, so we are too late to forgive. The first reading is the confessional prayer of Daniel inviting us all to approach the table of God’s mercy. “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.” (Dan.9:10). We become perfect only by demonstrating mercy. Perfection is attained only by the acts of mercy and compassion. We are indeed far from practicing mercy as we supposed to and as we can afford to. Showing compassion to the other is the channel of perfection. The responsorial Psalm intercedes, “Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.” (Ps. 102:10). In the Gospel Jesus invites us to be compassionate and perfect. Being humane is the privilege of being human. When we have become shaky, stingy, sickly, sluggish in showing compassion, we are tsunamic in judging, condemning and hardening ourselves in pardoning the other. To be compassionate is not divine as erring is human. And to forgive is not divine, as we confessing is human. Let us not take credit for forgiving others; it is necessary an obligation we have towards the others just because we belong to a community. We cannot replace God by forgiving and loving others. But we may resonate the ideal human character which is expected of us to attain within every human interaction that require a divine intervention and grace. We are forcing God to forgive us when we have done our part with others in forgiving. We are to show that we love God only by our unconditional forgiveness. Our worship and love towards God are under the scanner and scrutiny of criticism in the dryness of the moisture of forgiveness in our hearts. “For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Lk.6:38). May our compassion towards the other be immeasurable so as to reach the perfection. May you have a good day.