Like your servant Azariah, I praise and thank you today, dear God our loving Father, for delivering us always from many dangers and trials, enabling us to make it through many fires - still whole, still sane, still blessed.
Yes, like Azariah and his fellow Jews exiled in Babylon at that time, we have turned away from you with our many sins and transgressions:
But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; as though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
Daniel 3:39-42
It is not enough, O God, that we be sorry for our sins; like in the parable and the very example of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, penance and contrition are meant to fix and restore our many broken relationships with you and with one another, especially those dearest to us, those closest to us we have hurt or have hurt us with words and/or deeds.
Like you dear Father, may we realize that forgiveness is more than deletion of sins but most of all, about reconciliation, of being one again as brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.
