The Cathedral Close

I have resolved that, by the help of God, I will pray and strive for the fulfilment of His will con­cerning me. I want to make a new start; to begin afresh, as though I had newly come to the service of God.

If so, I shall have to begin with quiet, thoughtful, self-examination; and then I must humbly acknow­ledge my faults. And if I am to do this aright, I need the new and contrite heart for which we are taught to pray during Lent. The very word ” contrition” carries with it the idea of sorrow, but it is reasonable and manly if we have done wrong to be sorry for it, and to acknowledge it. This, then, is my first point; I need to have the evil of my past life blotted out, that free and unburdened I may make a new beginning in my endeavour to serve God, to make glad the heart of my father and mother, to gratify the good wishes of my friends, and to do credit to myself. For it would be of little avail to lay the confession of my past sins before Him who bore our sins in His own body on the cross, if I did not hope and intend to go forward in His service for the time to come.

And I must be good if I would do good. “A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.” * If I am to live a new life, I need_. a new heart. ” A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” This new creation within us, like all the works of God, is gradual. I must take my part therein. As 1 must work with God in order to the maintenance of my bodily life, and the development of my physical strength, using food, sleep, and exercise, the means which He has provided; so also I must work with Him in the maintenance and development of my spiritual life. And He who calls me to this work will ^–Himself work with me, that it may at length be brought to a successful issue.

Yea, 0 Almighty God, send upon me, I pray Thee, the Holy Spirit from on high, and create in me a new and contrite heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.