Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Saturday of the third week of Lent, March 29, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Hosea 6: 1-6; Rs psalm 51: 3-4.18-19.20-21ab; Luke 18: 9-14SINCERE SINNERS Our meditation today has the theme: Sincere Sinners. Thereis only one of all God's created human beings is sinless. She is the blessedMother, Mary, conceived by her mother free of sins. That is why she is calledMary Immaculate. Apart from her, we are all sinners, either great or small,many or few, visible or invisible. There have been two persons who have been friendssince childhood. Their friendship is still maintained until now when each has hisown family. One day the two friends were engaged in a conversation involvingpersonal matters. Mario, one of the two said that he corrupted money from hisoffice. He shared everything such as the amount of money, how many times hecorrupted, where the money was kept, what use of those money. He believed hisbest friend Mateo must keep all those information in secret.  His best friend Mateo enjoyed the story. Sometimes heasked for clarification on the things that were not clear. He nodded to showhis support. He understood everything that was being told. For Mario, beingopen to his best friend, he already felt lighter about the burden he carried.There was a feeling of relief and an open path in front of him for thepossibility in the future of changing from corruption. On Mateo's part, heshowed no signs of speaking about himself. Even though it has become a commonsuspicion that he was in an unlawful relationship with a woman. Mateo seemed tobe tormented and suffering in solitude with the sin that was tourturing him. Hedid not dare to open up to his best friend.  This story at least gives us some enlightenment thatthere are two types of sinners. Those who are called sincere sinners are those peoplewho are open about the sins they have committed. They do this in the confessionalroom, with a life partner, a friend, or with a trusted person. The motivationis that with that sincerity, he can be free from the shackles and torment ofthe gravity of sin. The most important goal is for him to get help in the formof understanding, moral support and forgiveness. On the other hand, those of the veiled or closed sinnersare those who cover up the mistakes or sins that have been committed. There aremany reasons for this introverted attitude: for example, shame, fear, orarrogance. The Pharisee in the Gospel story above is at least haunted by thesethree reasons. God was really displeased with the Pharisees. We should, andespecially in this period of Lent, realize ourselves as sincere sinners. Godalready knows everything, and in this age of communication, whatever form ofsin will be revealed in due course. So let us get rid of our closed attitudeover our sins.Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O heavenly Father,increase our courage and openness, so that we may sincerely admit our sins inorder to obtain Your forgiveness. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to theHoly Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...