As we engage our Lenten practices of prayer and penance for this year, many thoughts come to mind.

We are of course also celebrating the Year of Mercy. Pope Francis continues to urge us to reflect upon and thank God for His mercy, to seek that mercy for ourselves, and to bring His mercy to others.

Those others could be friends, family members or neighbors who are seeking our forgiveness. It could be the poor or those we know who are in need of support or prayers. Each of us, in our own lives and circumstances, will find many around us to whom we can bring God’s mercy.

The daily readings at Mass and the tradition of the Church, however, place a strong emphasis at the beginning of Lent on each of us first seeking mercy for ourselves. That is to say, repenting of our sins and then asking for God’s pardon. That purification makes us better able to love God and then bring His mercy to others.

In order to repent of our sins, we must first take a cold, hard look at our consciences. Deep down, we know that we have sinned. But everyone, because of our wounded humanity from original sin, is tempted to rationalize. It is one of the strongest motivations embedded within us.

How often have you felt that first response to a suggestion or a correcting comment to be a defensiveness? Instead of stopping for a moment to ponder if you are in the wrong or in need of improvement, the first reaction is to defend or deflect the comment. Everyone does it. Someone else said or did something worse. It might be wrong but I am justified because …

When rationalization is allowed to fester, our clarity of conscience becomes dimmed. The ability to examine our hearts before God is lessened. And not surprisingly, the moral demands of faith and of the Church suddenly become less clear or urgent. Instead of seeking ways to live according to the commandments, we begin to list the exceptions and the reasons why they don’t apply to my case.

The season of Lent calls us to seek in an intense way a spiritual clarity about the state of our soul. It is an opportunity to brush away our evasions and rationalizations.

As hard as it can be at times, I am always glad to hear and sing the responsorial psalm at Mass, “Be merciful O Lord for we have sinned.” That refrain captures a blessed truth that we need to hear.

Of course, having put aside our evasions, we must name our sins in order to repent. Bad relationships?

The computer? Attitudes of hatred or discrimination? Do I have any long held incident or moment of the past that I have never reconciled before God? Such a self-examination is beneficial and is a step toward holiness.

The next moment is, having repented, to seek God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of confession. This is for many a moment of courage. It is the last step in sweeping away evasion. And the moment is freeing.

Has it been many years since you last went to confession? Whenever this question comes up and I ask someone why they have been away, sometimes the answer is, “I just got away from it.” But other times there are stories or hurts or misunderstandings from the past.

Still, these reasons cannot stand in the way of laying bare our conscience now in order to confess. The healing of Jesus given in confession, given through the priest concludes with those happy words, “I absolve you from your sins.”

Our parishes and our priests make confession even more available during Lent. Check your parish schedule. And please don’t forget our Be Reconciled day, coming up quickly on Wednesday, March 16.

On that day, confessions will be heard all through the diocese from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The past two years, many have found the courage and the peace to come and confess on that day. It has been a great success.

Finally, let’s also, in this Year of Mercy, pray throughout this Lent for those who are struggling to seek forgiveness by going to confession. A kind word of encouragement, a prayer — sometimes that’s all it takes.

In any case, Christ and the Church await us with open arms. We need only walk through the door of the confessional.