July 12 Wed
“I acknowledge my sin,” says David. If I admit my fault, then God will pardon it. Let us never assume that if we live good lives we will be without sin; our lives should be worthwhile only when we continue to beg for pardon.

Usually, the less contrite we are for our own sins, the more interested we become in the sins of others. We seek to criticize, not to correct. Not finding valid excuses for ourselves, we accuse the others.

David showed us how to make amends to God: “I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is always before me.” He did not concentrate on others’ sins; he turned his thoughts on himself. He did not merely stroke the surface, but he plunged inside and went deep down within himself, asking to be forgiven.

Do you want God to forgive you? Learn from the psalm: Lord, “If you wanted sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; but you take no delight in burnt offerings.”
Are you then without a sacrifice? Are you to offer nothing? Will you leave God without an offering?

Consider and say with David: “A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit.” Now you have found out what you are to offer. In olden times, you would have offered cattle – these were the sacrifices.
But David says: “You will take no delight in burnt offerings.” If God is not pleased with burnt offerings, will you remain without sacrifice? Not at all. “A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God will not despise a humble and contrite heart.”

Now you know what you have to offer. No need to bring cattle, no need to send ships and travel away to buy incense. Search within your heart, find what God wants from you.

First, your heart must be contrite. Are you afraid of it? You have to ask: “Create a clean heart in me, O God.” For a clean heart to be created, the unclean one must be crushed with contrition.

We should be unhappy with ourselves when we commit sin, for sin is displeasing to God. Sinful though we are, let us at least coincide with God in this, that we do not like what He does not like. Then you will be in harmony with God’s will, because you find awful in yourself what is abhorrent to your Creator.
St Augustine