“Open my lips O Lord, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.”

These are words I say every morning. Between that moment of full sleep and being fully alert, in that moment of the fog of morning, these words come to me unbidden. The plea to make my words an instrument of God’s will, sovereignty, grace, and love is a crying out—not in the wilderness of this world, but rather into the depths of my own wild soul.

These words remind me to be calmer when issues arise, whether they be of the day, or of the moment. Psalm 51 is emblazoned upon my heart, an indelible mark of fidelity amid my sinful nature. Today, these words emanate deeply from within me and are shouted, not whispered, as I step into Lent. I must remember that I am dust. I must remember that I am a sinner. I must remember that, at times, I am all the things I despise in others. I must remember that I will die one day with the hope of glory to follow. I must be faithful and gentle, therefore, to speak truth in love; to place heavenly things above mortal ones; to love my neighbor and enemy, alike.

For me, these words encapsulate the forty-day journey. I will not surrender to the watcher. I will not hate. I will not envy those with more, nor despise those with less. I will open my lips and allow the Holy Spirit to rush out, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and the honor and glory due to him.

At least, I will try.

I invite you to join me. Join me in a journey of self-reflection; of introspection and deep longing for God. The furious longing of God follows us relentlessly; my prayer for all of us is that we will turn and embrace it. My hope is that we will cease division in our local spheres and instead incite unity. My dream is that the Holy Spirit will move through us to speak the words that others long to hear—words of acceptance, love, faith, and hope. My prayer is this:

“Open our lips O Lord, and our mouths shall proclaim your praise”.

Faithfully,

Fr. Sean+