We're only human

Try to identify the difference between Lent and Advent.
Try and put your finger on it.
After all, there are things in common:

• Lilac / Purple colours in Anglican churches (we prefer red hi-viz until the Spring Equinox in Husborne Crawley, for historical reasons).
• A general soberness in the mood (except at the interminable Christmas dinners and parties in Advent, when the fast is suspended - sometimes for days at an end)
• A shortage of flowers around the place - although the deadly Flower Arranging Mafia may be inclined towards cacti and succulents during Lent, in the same way as they go for dried Nigella and bits of stick and rose hips in Advent).

Maybe it's that Advent is about expectation (on the cheerful side) and about judgement and death (on the ominous side).  And Lent is about what it means to be human - about temptation, and getting things wrong, and failing, and wondering what to do about it.

Frequently when I ask Beaker People why, or how, or for what purpose they have fouled up I get the response "I did my best".  To which the correct response is "Yes, I was afraid of that".  Or they may say "We're only human", to which the answer is "Keep trying, you may make it..."
Sarcastic I know.  But it's best that we are fully aware of the situation we're in.  We get it wrong.  We muck it up.  If we see a hat on the pavement, we'll kick it - even if we know there's a brick underneath it.  Shown an apple and told not to eat it, we eat it.  Give us a button marked "do not press this button..." - yes, well you all know how that ends.  Give us a talking snake and we'll listen to it.

We're only human.  That's what it comes down to.  We're only human.  And as long as we can remember that's what we are - we do fine.  If we think we're a little lower than the angels - well maybe we are.

But when we decide we're gods - that's when the trouble starts.  Because we're only human.