High School Penance Service "Ferverino" (Short sermon)

Who made a specific Lenten promise?

Who failed already?

Good.  Good?  Yes. Good.

Why Good?  Because it’s important for us to learn that we are never going to “wow” God with how awesome we are.

Lent isn’t about God being “wowed.”

Lent is about us learning “dependence.”

I DIDN’T COME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS. If you “got it all together” then Jesus didn’t come for you – that’s not a good thing.  You want Jesus.

I CAME TO CALL SINNERS. This is every one of us.  That’s why it’s sort of a good thing when we fall short.  Not that I hope every one of us fails, but that I hope you see that the key to success in the spiritual life is not our own powers, but on leaning on God.

DEPENDENCE = knowing that I am nothing without God.  Sure I  may be able to do some cool things seemingly on my own, but even all of that is due to the fact that God created me, helped me to grow up the way that I did, with the support and people that have fostered me and the opportunities that I have – so yah, without all of that, I am nothing.  And for me to continue to grow in the most important area (my capacity to love like Jesus loved from the Cross) then I need to rely on God.

SO. Don’t be afraid to come to Confession today and tell God your sins.  It’s just one way that you say “Lord, I need you.”  “I can’t do this without you.”  “Teach me to love.” “Help me to grow into what you made me to be.” “Help me.”  Amen?  Amen?