Wednesday 17 February

Jonah 3:1-10, Ps.51, Luke 11:29-32

An Act of Contrition

The Act of Contrition used to be a regular part of Catholic prayer. I don’t think it is now. Perhaps in our placing emphasis on God’ love and mercy, we have lost our sense of sin and our need for contrition. David knew God’s love, but was also very aware of his sinfulness and need to confess. Psalm 51 was his “Act of Contrition” for his crimes of adultery with Bethsheba and the murder of her husband. We might profitably use it as our own Act of Contrition for the remaining days of Lent.

“A broken contrite heart you never scorn”.