Seeing Lent for what it is meant to be

We are now ten days into the holy season of Lent. We are passed the silliness and quickly passing trendiness that is for many Ash Wednesday. Past all the "giving up" of things only to make ourselves slightly miserable, and all the rest. We are past it being easy, at the point where perhaps you have failed. So, the question is, do you persevere, or give up? For those who try and fail, Lent is a time to experience how God's grace exposes our weaknesses, which is the only way God can perfect our desire. It is a time of humility, but not humiliation. While God might permit us to be humiliated for His sake (in all such circumstances we are blessed), God does not humiliate us, but humbles us so that we become more like Christ.

This beautiful version of the prayer composed by the ancient Syrian deacon, St. Ephrem, is our Friday traditio for this second Friday of Lent.