Picture this: a family road trip. The GPS fails, the kids fight over snacks, and Dad misses the exit—again. Mom finally snaps, “Whose idea was this?!” Silence follows until one child mumbles, “I lost the map.” Another adds, “I hid the snacks.” Dad sighs, “I ignored the signs.” Mom laughs, “And I didn’t pack patience.” Suddenly, blame turns into confession, the tension lifts, and they pull over for ice cream, ready to start over.
That’s the heart of Daniel’s prayer in today’s reading. Exiled in Babylon, he gathers his people and says, “We have messed up—all of us” (v. 5-6). There’s no finger-pointing, just raw, family-style honesty. Lent invites us to do the same: ditch the blame game and clean up together.
Daniel doesn’t pray, “They sinned.” He says, “We turned away” (v. 10). In our families, brokenness is rarely one person’s fault. Maybe siblings fight, parents overreact, and everyone avoids apologizing. Think of a family meal where someone burns the pancakes, another spills the juice, and everyone blames the dog. Daniel’s prayer is like gathering around that sticky table and admitting, “We all contributed to this chaos. Let’s fix it.”
Holy Accountability
Daniel’s prayer isn’t about shame—it’s about accountability: “Lord, you’re right… but we’re covered in shame” (v. 7-8). Healthy guilt is like a smoke alarm—annoying, but it saves us from bigger fires. My nephew once threw paint on the wall and blamed the cat—which was outside. But when he finally admitted it, his dad didn’t scold him; instead, he said, “Let’s clean it together.” The wall stayed messy, but their trust grew. Daniel teaches us that mercy flows when we own our messes.
Daniel’s prayer gives us a three-step guide that families can follow. First, name the failure—“We didn’t listen” (v. 6). Maybe screen time has replaced story time, or work has crowded out family moments. At dinner, share one “I’m sorry” moment. Second, claim responsibility—“Shame is ours” (v. 8). Instead of saying, “But they started it!” give up blame and simply admit, “We’ll do better.” Lastly, cling to the covenant, cling to the Lord—“Yours, Lord, is mercy” (v. 9). Trust that God repairs what we confess. Put this into action by doing a simple act of kindness together—baking cookies for a neighbor, donating toys, or writing Grandma a letter.
Works in Progress
Daniel’s exiles didn’t earn freedom by being perfect. They were freed after owning their flaws. Lent is our family’s chance to trade pretense for grace. Daniel’s prayer didn’t fix Babylon overnight, but it began a journey home. Our families, too, are works in progress. Your family may be messy, but it is God’s masterpiece. This Lent, let’s embrace the mess and watch God make it holy.
Today, we also celebrate St. Patrick, a man who knew what it meant to embrace life's mess and trust in God's mercy. Captured and enslaved as a teenager, Patrick could have lived in bitterness. Instead, he found God in his suffering, and when he escaped, he chose not to turn his back on those who once held him captive. He returned to Ireland, not as a slave, but as a missionary of mercy, bringing the Gospel to the people. Patrick's life echoes Daniel’s prayer: acknowledging brokenness, turning to God, and stepping forward in faith. Patrick called an entire nation to conversion. As we walk through Lent, let us follow their example, turning our own messes into moments of grace, trusting that God’s mercy makes all things new.
- Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
