The Cathedral Close

Saturday After Ash Wednesday-Lenten Feria

Why should I take self-examination in hand now? Because that which may be done at any time is often not done at all, and it is well, therefore, to have a time for everything. If our self-examination be sincere and thorough it ought to lead to our having a share in the sorrow of our blessed Lord in the wilderness, who sorrowed on account of our sins, and because of the ruin and unhappiness which sin inevitably produces.

1. If He asks us to put away our sins it is for our own good that He does so, that, purifying ourselves even as He is pure, we may have a share in His peace now and a place in His everlasting kingdom hereafter.

2. There is no real difficulty in self-examination if we are honest with ourselves. All we have to do is to open our eyes and endeavor to see things as they are, not to deceive ourselves, nor to blind ourselves to the truth, but to endeavour to make out clearly whether we are in all things striving to live according to God’s will or not. “Know thyself,” was one of the maxims of ancient wisdom. To have self-knowledge is to be forearmed.

3. If anything is worth doing at all it is worth doing well; but no one can do his work well who does not examine it from time to time as he goes on, that he may be sure that he is making no mistake in doing it. In our service of God, to which we were pledged in our baptism, we may, in like manner, make many mistakes if we do not seek guidance and advice from others, and if we do not now and then look at our lives that we may see what the course of them may be, and examine our consciences that we may take note of what they have to say with regard to our daily lives. “Examine yourselves,” wrote St. Paul to the Corinthians, “examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” II Corinthians xiii. 5.

Prayer

Teach me, O God, I beseech Thee, and show me all my faults; and then make me to be truly sorry for them, and help me to put them from me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.