VATICAN - Prayers for Lent - The Act of Contrition (8)

Vatican City (Fides Service) - To resolve never to offend God and to do penance…this is the decision of the sinner aware of his moral and spiritual sinfulness: we promise never to offend God again and like the prodigal son we return to the Father to rediscover our dignity as children of God.
This parable speaks of the consequences of making life’s plans and decisions alone, it illustrates attitude of the Father face to face with his son who returns and makes the first act of confession » taught by Jesus: «I am not worthy to be called your son…» (Luke 15, 19a) and the goodness of the Father who awaits his son: «when he was still some way off the Father went out to meet him and embraced him » (Luke 15, 20b). How great is God’s Goodness and Mercy and infinite Love: «seeing the crowds he felt compassion for them, they were tired and exhausted like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9, 35, // Mark 6, 34) and He declared: «I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd offers his life for his sheep» (Jn 10, 11). This was his Mission: «… indeed I came to call not the upright, but sinners. » (Matthew 9, 13b,: «to repent » Luke explains (Luke 5, 32).
Jesus tells three parables to teach his disciples about God’s infinite the mercy: the lost sheep; the lost coin and the prodigal son (Luke 15). He tells the paralytic whose friends lower him from the roof: «Courage, my son, your sins are forgiven » (Matthew 9, 2b e // Mark and Luke). He tells Zaccheus a publican, a sinner, that he wishes to “stay with him”… and Zaccheus touched by grace makes his humble public confession and promises to make reparation for the wrongs to others. Jesus replies: « 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham;for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost (Luke 19 pass e 9b, 10). To the women caught in adultery he says: «…has no one condemned you?... Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more» (John 8, 10b, 11b).