“Strange as it may seem, multitudes called Christians go through life with no effort to obtain a correct knowledge of themselves.” So begins St John Henry Newman in a thought-provoking sermon on Psalm 19:12. That Scripture reads: “But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults.” It’s a verse worth taking some time to ponder during this Easter season.
Our life as Christians begins with the recognition that we are not as good as we like to think we are. Indeed, while most of us are adroit at diagnosing vices in other people, we find it significantly harder to direct that same level of scrutiny towards ourselves. Yet if we wish to allow the graces of the Resurrection to prune our hearts, then confronting our hidden faults is not an optional pastime; it’s a moral imperative.
