The penance the Lord asks of us, as Christians in the midst of the world, must be discreet, joyful...; it seeks to go unnoticed, yet it never fails to manifest in abundant, concrete actions. Furthermore, it doesn't matter much if it is occasionally noticed. "If they have been witnesses to your weaknesses and miseries, what does it matter if they are witnesses to your penance?" If others have witnessed our bad temper, our lack of love, our laziness, or other sins, we should not mind if they know and see that we are making amends for those weaknesses.
A Christian’s life can be filled with this penance that God sees: the offering up of illness or exhaustion, the surrendering of one’s own judgment, work finished and well-done for the love of God, and order in one’s personal affairs.
A penance especially pleasing to the Lord is one that gathers many acts of charity and tends to smooth the path toward God for others, making it more lovable for them.
In the Gospel of today’s Mass, the Lord tells us: *If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.* Our offering to the Lord must be accompanied by charity. Among the best examples of penance are those that refer to love for others: knowing how to ask for forgiveness when we have offended others; the sacrifice involved in the formation of someone in our care; patience; and knowing how to forgive promptly and generously.
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HCD