On Ash Wednesday, the Church invited each of us “to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance, by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” These, as well s other spiritual disciplines, are worthwhile all year long, of course, providing time and space for us to experience the presence of God. Focusing on these during the Lenten season prepares us to walk through the passion of Holy Week, to be ready to rejoice with the coming of Easter.

Self-examination convicts our hearts as we discover all the things we allow to separate us for God, from one another, from all creation, bringing us to repentance, ready for reconciliation with God. Confession, they say, is good for the soul. That was certainly our psalmist’s experience. He knew the misery of wallowing in his sin and the joy of repentance and confession, knowing his transgressions were forgiven. I can relate to the psalmist’s hymn. Part of my rule as an Associate of the Community of the Holy Spirit is making regular confessions. When I have found myself burdened with something that has its tentacles holding me tightly in its grip, there is nothing so freeing as participating in The Rite of Reconciliation (BCP.p.447) and hearing the priest say, “The Lord has put away your sins.” It feels like a heavy load has been lifted from my back. I can “go in peace.” In the Episcopal Church, the rule of thumb regarding sacramental confession is that” “All may; none must; some should.” Only you know what your self-examination has brought to light, whether or not you need The Rite of Reconciliation to enable you to move forward in peace, secure in the knowledge of God’s mercy and grace.

Our gospel passage for today provides an example of another kind of confession, that is, to declare one’s belief to others. There, in the wilderness, Jesus answers the tempter with scripture, testifying to his knowledge of and trust in God. Lent is a good time for us to consider our own personal confession of faith, not relying on the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed, but spelling out in our own groping words the mystery of who God is for us in our own hearts and minds, in order to be ready to confess our faith when the opportunity arises.