Even the Righteous Trip

Right about now during your Great Lenten Journey, chances are you are feeling wary from the fasting, extra Church services, long prayers, and intense temptation that surrounds you daily. Right about now you are wondering, if it is even possible to live like the Church expects you to live. Are there any examples of people who got it right all the time?

The gentle answer is, “No. There isn’t anyone who got it right every time.” With the exception of Jesus Christ, no human that has ever lived, or who will ever live, makes it through life without tripping and falling. This might come as news to you, but even the Saints tripped and fell during their life. But life isn’t about never tripping, it is about getting up again.

In today’s reading from Genesis below, we hear about Noah becoming drunk, embarrassed and cursing his own son in anger after sobering up the next day. It was only a few days ago that we were taught that it was because of his righteousness that Noah was chosen for the Ark in the first place. NOW we hear that he got drunk and took out his anger on his son! My only purpose today is to remind you, gently, that even the righteous trip and fall every now and then. If you have fallen at all during Great Lent, don’t let it get you down. You’re not alone, neither in falling nor in getting back up again. Stick with it….you can do it.

The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled. Noah was the first tiller of the soil. He planted a vineyard; and he drank of the wine, and became drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it upon both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave. God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.” After the flood Noah lived three hundred and fifty years. All the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died. These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth; sons were born to them after the flood. – Genesis 9.18-10.1