Once again my plans for a Holy Lent have been dashed by reality.
Sure I had a framework planned out involving more prayer and fasting. Most of that lasted the whole first week of Lent and then I started to find excuses to lighten up. Not that my initial plan was over the top or beyond my reach. Just that once again I tried to brute-force holiness by doing stuff and forgetting to invite God into this. A stoic at prayer.
Not that it was a total failure. I did manage to be very consistent in the course of spiritual reading I set out for each day. With the help of the Strides app I have also managed to pray the Rosary each day when before I was rather less consistent on weekends.
Still I notice the same awful tendencies I have and self-centeredness. Still Lent does help me to be more aware of this and even failing I see myself failing and resorting to prayer. I try to put the Jesus Prayer on continuous loop at these times. Lent can often be a good cure for spiritual pride as you find any spiritual pride to be rather ridiculous in face of the truth. I provide myself comic relief by laughing at myself.
Last night while thinking about my Lenten misadventure I remembered Lent wasn’t over yet.
So I am going to cram for Holy Week. Pick up that dropped framework and carry it out for the rest of Lent and the Triduum before Easter.
Like most crammers I have the expectation that I can make up my lack of progress the night before Easter. I will just pull a Lenten all-nighter figuratively. Yeah that’s the ticket. Besides Jesus paid those late workers in The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. So I’m holding him to that.
2 comments
Jeff, I’m not sure if Jesus personally paid those late workers in The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard that He spoke about… I believe that GOD (Good Old Dad) loves all His creations. He sent Adam and Eve to join some angels and that’s after He and His Heavenly Faithful Angels had already cast them down here… Long story short, I also believe that God gave us (usual sinners), His Only Begotten Son and every MAN and/or WOMAN who believe in “Jesus” shall eventually be saved. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about being saved by “Faith” alone… although there’s no limit to GOD (Good Old Dad’s) LOVE.
When I was in my late teens while going to Saint Paul school… anyway In the late sixties and it was late at night and I knew that mom would be worried about me… hours later, the carnival owner finally paid all of us who were still around and long story short, I couldn’t help but notice that the owner paid every one around me the same amount and some had started hours later. I associated “The Parable of the Workers” with that experience… Longer story shorter, the following year, I literally showed up again a few hours later and I got the same amount as every other workers… Go Figure?.
Jeff, if “IT” will make you feel any better, I didn’t go to church tonight and I didn’t say The Rosary and I’m sure that Jesus and His Angels will continue to take good care of our souls and our spirits as long as all of us (usual sinners) hang on to our “Faith”… lol… 🙂
WHO’S LAUGHING?
God Bless Peace
“anyway In the late sixties”…. Hey, I should re-read my stuff more often cause, i was thinking the late fifties butt “I” wrote sixties… During the late sixties, i was working for our Canadian Government Printing Bureau.. “IT” only goes to show how much “I” really know…LOL… 🙂
WHO’S LAUGHING?
Happy Easter to you and yours