Many years ago, so many, in fact, that it seems in a previous incarnation, I was called home from a mission assignment in the Pacific to do some other work. And I returned by way of Europe -- as close that way as the other -- and so got a look at a few other countries. I do not remember much, but I do remember this Europe was clean, some lands immaculate. I thought of that last week when I went to see two doctors, one in Lebanon, one in Campbellsville, named fittingly enough for a monk's care: Kirk and Angel. And the roads over one way and back another were unsightly with litter, lots of litter, scattered along the wayside. Why do Americans do this? They did not bring it with them from Europe and most of them are from Europe ultimately. Why do they do it here? Foreign visitors are appalled. It is an ugly trait, unsightly, selfish, arrogant, thoughtless. And despite years of effort to eradicate this vice, small progress has been made. Why do they dump their trash in my front yard? They don't do it at home. Americans have a lot of good qualities. This is not one of them. It is disgraceful. People otherwise decent enough open the window, throw out the debris, and move on down the road.

So I was thinking about this, a friend and I. What is going on here? I suggest it is rooted in guilt.

Americans are a favored people. They live in one of the richest, best developed, most beautiful countries in the world. Who would argue with that? Further, they are daily exposed to how the rest of the world lives, and that in vivid and dramatic terms. It is absurd to suggest that has no impact. Famine, disease, poverty, ignorance, tyranny, oppression are common. The lot of most.

And we live in Paradise. Why? What is so special about us? Nothing really. Just happenstance, Providence, fortune, good luck.

A person can feel guilty about it in some unconscious way. And we know too, in our hearts, that we are not as deserving as we'd like to think. So we act out guilt. We do something nasty. And everyone knows throwing your trash on the roadside is nasty. And that makes you feel better. I'm not special. I am just a sinner and a slob in paradise.

But guilt is not resolved by acting out evil. When a child gives in to impulse and instead of being its usual self, does something mean, we correct the child. That's not how you deal with evil impulse. You confess it. You acknowledge it. You ask mercy and forgiveness. But you do not act on it. Otherwise we simply confirm ourselves in evil.

Granted that litter is not a major moral problem, it is a highly significant one. And one worth considering during Lent.

And if confession is extraordinarily healthy for moral growth, the Eucharist is even more so. For in the Eucharist we are confronted with the fruit of evil.

The Mass is no mere ritual re-enactment of the Passion and Death of the Lord. Ritual re-enactment it is, but it is also reality. It is the Death of the Lord.

That's why the head is a priest, and why he stands at an altar. He is offering a sacrifice as Christ. And this Christ is put to death. By sinners. And we are sinners. So in the truest sense we witness the consequence of our evil. Our evil put the Son of God to death.

And His death becomes a merciful pardon and healing. We are forgiven by the Lord we crucified and invited to His table to be united to Him in His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.

And then bidden go home and live in love. Now no need to act out the evil in us. We have already done so. And in His merciful grace can live in love.

Here is the healing of guilt. We are sinners healed by the mercy of God. Now there is no need to come to terms with guilt by acting on it. We both resist evil and receive pardon. Guilt is overwhelmed by the mercy of God.

In many ways, large and small, serious and trifling, we may reveal a guilt-ridden heart. Acting out is not the answer. Pardon is the answer. Pardon through confession and God's mercy. Pardon through the Passion in which the very death we inflicted on the Lord becomes our salvation.

These are deep truths. They are worth reflecting on these 40 days.