Even the Best Sailor Can Drift Off-Course

A skilled sailor would never think to leave port without a compass and sea charts to guide his journey. Likewise, we should never think of embarking upon our journey of Great Lent without our compass – the Church – and our charts – the Holy Scriptures – to guide us. It is even worse if a sailor places his trust in a broken compass or outdated charts.

As we complete second week of our Great Lenten journey, the Church calls our attention to the warning of Saint Paul. “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” (Hebrews 2.1) Saint Paul is warning us to beware even the slightest departure from the true path, outline by God, and confirmed by His Apostles and the Church. If a sailor takes his eyes off his path, just for a moment, he begins to drift off course. The sooner he realizes he is drifting and resets his course, the sooner he is out of danger of never reaching his destination.

Our annual Great Lenten journey is an excellent opportunity to reset our course, using the Church as our compass, and focus our attention on Christ and His Holy Resurrection. If you have drifted off course, even just a little, this is your chance to get back on course. The urgency is real! “How shall be escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2.3)

The Church has been given to us as a gift from God to lead us in our journey to heaven. Great Lent has been given to us as a gift from the Church to guide us back “on-course” through prayer, fasting, works of charity, reading the Holy Scriptures, attending Holy Confession and receiving Holy Communion. Anything else that we might use to guide our way (as provided by “the world”) would be as foolish as a sailor using a broken compass or outdated charts.