Homily: 1st Week of Lent - Monday - Compunction prepares us for the Great Judgment

The readings and prayers of the first half of Lent are aimed at arousing in us the disposition of compunction—compunction—knowledge of our sinfulness, sorrow for our sins, repentance, the desire for God’s mercy, the desire for deeper conversion.

Examining our conscience in light of the commandments, such as those who read this morning from Leviticus should bring us to compunction: “Have I stolen, have I defrauded another, have I acted dishonestly in rendering judgment.”  If, I have, it is a good thing to be brought to sorrow for failing to be as holy as God calls us to be.

Likewise, the reading from Matthew’s Gospel should help us examine our conscience.  The preceding parables in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus had been urging the disciples to be ready for the day when the Son of Man returns.  And today’s passage is that description of the Great Judgment. 

Compunction is about being ready, for the Lord will “repay everyone according to his conduct”.   The fact that this judgment will be eternal—should bring us to compunction and conversion. 

So we take very seriously this call to examine our lives—have I been cared for those in need—the hungry, the naked, those in prison, the stranger, as we should?

If we are honest, the answer is probably no.  Many of us have never visited a prisoner or given more than a token offering to the starving. Even the sick we've visited have been relatives and friends and not the least of the brethren. Really, it’s going to be impossible to stand on our record, because we all fall short of being as holy as we are meant to be.

But perhaps the compunction of Lent is the very attitude that we should be cultivating, so that when the Lord does come in judgment, we may meet him humbly, seeking to turn more and more of our lives over to him, for his glory and the salvation of souls.