My Lenten journey got derailed

I hit a bad patch in my Lenten observances, falling into self-indulgence and over-eating, one of my besetting sins. I've also come down with a slight cold and that makes me want to feel a little sorry for myself and drop some of the prayer I'd hoped to do over Lent. I've been less reliable in doing evening prayer and in posting it over at The Daily Offices.

This morning, I debated about whether to go to church as today is the Feast of the Annuniciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorating that moment in time when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost in her immaculate womb. Since the little cathedral I attend bears the name Cathedral of the Annunication of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there was additional incentive to attend.

Confessing my manifold sins and wickednesses in the car on the way there, I realized that one of the benefits of having tried many, many times to be disciplined in prayer, is that I have discovered that without God I am helpless to be good. I cannot even stay awake to pray without His help. That's why I love the fact that we open our Morning and Evening Prayer with: O Lord open thou our lips. . .

I don't need to whip myself for failing, or try extra hard to be better, just believe that He who has begun a work in me will complete it, believe that He will open my lips to praise Him if I ask Him to, that He knows I have no power to be good in and of myself but He's willing to supply me with rivers of living water if I'll let Him.

If you'd like to join me over at the Daily Offices to do the readings associated with this important event in the life of the Church, nine months before Christmas, come on over to the Daily Offices.

BTW, as I was entering the cathedral this morning, I saw my first robin. It flew away before I could take a picture.