VATICAN - PRAYERS FOR LENT: the Act of Contrition (2)

Vatican City (Fides Service) - When we make an Act of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition we begin with the words «O My God», we address a Person in whom we believe! «I believe in God» («credo in Deum», the Creed.
As creatures we address our Creator: «credo in Deum Patrem Omnipotentem», I believe in Almighty God, the Creed.
We who are dust («remember you are dust and to dust you will return » - «Memento homo quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris», Ash Wednesday) dare to address the «Creator of heaven and earth of all things seen and unseen» («Factorem Caeli et terra, visibilium omnium et invisibilum», Creed).
Chapter One of the Book of Genesis narrates Creation: «God said» and at His word the whole world was created from nothing («ex nihilo») day by day, light, land, sea, grasses, seeds, the stars, the sun the moon, living beings in the waters and in the skies appeared and God saw everything to be “very good”. On the sixth day God said: «Let us create man in our own image and likeness … God created man, male and female he created them» (verse 26a, 27); entrusting them with the earth and telling them to be fruitful and fill the earth and dominate over all the other creatures (verse 28). On the seventh day God rested «blessed… and consecrated» (Genesis 2, verse 3a).
We say «O My God» and address our Creator, not only as creatures created by Him but as the highest of all His creatures, created in His own image and likeness, gifted with reason and a spark of God’s own life>. This enables us to relate to God not with fear but with trust and willingness to cooperate with Him as He ordered and continue His work of creation spreading His Love and Life instituting the family, the cradle of love and life in the image of God: «male and female He created them … multiply and fill the earth…» (verses 27c, 28a).
When we say «O My God», we know we address the «Almighty Father» («Patrem Omnipotentem», Creed), «Our Father» as Jesus taught us. The Father of Mercies portrayed beautifully in Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son. And we are all prodigal sons in need of forgiveness: «Father I have sinned against heaven and you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son» (Luke 15, 21). (to be continued) (J.M.) (Agenzia Fides 17/3/2007, righe 38, parole 560)