Forgiveness Vespers

And so begins Lent.  I feel like I'm off to a good start, but as soon as I say that I'll trip and fall...

After liturgy, we had friends over for a last cheesy meal, which I regret was not as tasty as I had hoped it would be.  The company was good, though, and the kids had special bedtime stories from friends before we returned to church for vespers.

The vespers service seemed unusually well attended for a 7 o'clock service at our parish.  It was rather uplifting.  My children were unusually well behaved, too.  That was even more uplifting.  Yaya even stood in the forgiveness line by herself this year.  It was the first time she wasn't being held by someone.  We were joined at the service by Archimandrite Mathias, and his brief sermon was just the pep talk I needed to get moving in the right direction.  One comment, in particular, has stuck in my mind, and I think it is worth repeating.

He said... Just as with the prodigal son who came walking back to the father, and whose father ran to meet him, so if we take just one step, God the Father takes many to meet us.

There is such great hope in that for me.  Although I may not take as many steps as I'd like during this Lent or throughout my life, God will be running to meet me as long as I keep taking some.

To all of you who were not at Holy Trinity's service tonight, I ask your forgiveness for any offenses I may have committed against you.