Saturday, January 23, 2010
Commemoration of Phillips Brooks, Bishop of Massachusetts, spiritual writer, 1893

In prayer we express deep penitence and contrition for our shortcomings, using sorrowful and self-accusing words. And this often in all sincerity. But, at other times, we are not really much disturbed about it; or, at least, not nearly so much as our heaped-up language would imply. What we imagine that we are achieving through this unreality I do not know. We shall not fool the All-wise; nor induce Him to believe that we are anything other, or better, than we actually are! Were it not saner to tell Him the truth, exactly as it is—not that we are overwhelmed with sorrow for our sinfulness, if it is not so; but rather this, that, to all our other sinfulness, we have added this last and crowning sinfulness, that we are not much worried about it, or, at least, not nearly as much as we ought to be. Be pleased, in pity, to grant us such measure of sorrow for our failures as will lead us to a true repentance; and, through that, to a new way of life.

... A. J. Gossip (1873-1954), In the Secret Place of the Most High, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1947, p. 27-28 (see the book; see also Hag. 1:5-6; Mark 2:17; Luke 10:13; 13:1-5; Rom. 2:1-5; Eph. 5:13-14; more at Contrition, Failure, Imagination, Penitence, Prayer, Repentance, Sorrow, Way)

 
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Last updated: 01/05/17

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