The ash reminds us that we are mortal and that we will, one day, see our bodies wither and turn to dust. It reminds us that time is passing remorselessly and without favour to any. What better time is there to seek the forgiveness of God? As Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor alluded to today, in his homily at Westminster Cathedral, we all have many little sins that, day by day, increase the weight our spirits have to bear. 

We have accumulated these sins by being undisciplined in our lives. Discipline is a hard skill to come by. There are so many ways in which we can be led astray: temptations pull us in this direction and that, laziness stops us from going in any direction at all, our natural inclinations work against our duty to become more holy. 

Lent, being a clearly understood season of abstinence and sacrifice, offers us the chance to diminish the impulses to do wrong by increasing our discipline to do right as a conscious choice. We need not think of Lent as a season of trial. It isn't. It can be, instead, a season of growth and freedom, a time when we can - through increasing self-discipline - free ourselves of the things that hold us back from a more personal and rewarding relationship with our God.

Now is the time to consider the things we have done that hurt us, hurt others and hurt our relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally. Take the time to examine your conscience and your relationships. Have you hurt someone? Promised something and not done it? Been untruthful to the detriment of others? Have you been unkind? Have you hurt God Himself by invoking him in vain? Have you hurt yourself by being uncharitable in your heart and closed yourself off to charity towards others? 

Use Lent to free yourself of these faults. Use the Confessional and really heal yourself. 

Catholics rarely seem to make use of the Confessional these days according to various surveys. It seems to me the point of Lent has been lost on many, as has the opportunity. Perhaps you are scared of 'Confession'? Perhaps the thought of talking about all your deepest and darkest secrets sends you rigid with fear? Perhaps you fear the judgement of the man behind the grille? Perhaps it seems like too big a mountain to climb? Perhaps you've forgotten the right words to use and you're scared of looking like a fool?

I promise you that I once felt the same. I was once so ashamed of my silly little sins that going to Confession brought me out in a cold sweat. I'd long since forgotten how to make a Confession in the formulaic style I was taught. But eventually I couldn't hold out any longer. Eventually I made my way into that little box and falteringly told the priest that I hadn't been to Confession in years and I didn't really know how to do it right. And immediately the priest told me not to worry about any of it. What mattered was that I was there, talking to God, being honest and open about the things I had done wrong. And the words just flooded out. They tumbled over themselves to be said. So many years of pain and guilt for the things that I had done wrong and forced myself to ignore and, unsuccessfully, to forget. A weight was lifted from me and the relief was so overwhelming that I could barely keep up with it. Finally talking to the priest, who I now recognise must have heard all these silly little sins a thousand times or more before, healed me in a way I didn't really know was possible.

I emerged (years ago now) a changed man with a new and precious understanding of the Joy of Confession. It's called being in a State of Grace and it's the knowledge that all your sins have been forgiven. All of them. Without exception. Because you chose to be open and honest and approach God willingly. And because you did, He responded with a loving embrace that exceeds anything you can possibly imagine. It's available to all. Don't be frightened of God. He loves you so much that He cannot refuse anyone who seeks solace in Him.