In our yearning for God and in our following of his will, we do struggle to do good and be righteous. This is the reality of our life, of our freedom. In the first reading Paul speaks very well about this continuing struggle within us between the spirit of God and the law of God and the spirit of evil, the law of sin and my own body.
We can declare, “What a wretched man I am!” as admission of weakness and helplessness, though we know we also have this innermost desire, almost built-in, for a lasting relationship with goodness and God. This admission and realization are a healthy beginning for God’s grace in us, as we humble ourselves before God. As we humble ourselves, God helps and delivers us through the redemptive grace of our Lord, his Son.
This is the challenge of our being human, called to a higher divine life with God. Let us pray to God that he may be the supreme Lord of our lives.