DAILY HOMILIES #lost

Rather than withdraw from God’s presence because your conscience disturbs you, remember that God is more interested in healing your wounds (sin wounds us) than punishing you. There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Christmas is a reminder that God has not yet given up on humanity. If God could choose to take our flesh despite our collective sinfulness, it means that regardless of your past, God can still work great and mighty works through you. Do not despair. Do not assume your sins are too much. Return to God today; He will fill your heart with supernatural peace.

We learn from Ezekiel that if we fail to correct (win back) those going astray, God will hold us responsible for their soul. Nevertheless, in correcting them, we must do it with a spirit of love because, as St. Paul says, love is the only debt we owe others. Meanwhile, Jesus gives us the steps to follow in this process of winning back and reconciling with one another.

Surely, there are consequences for our sinful choices but God does not hate us because of our sins. He continues to love us, providing several opportunities for us to repent. We can learn to be more sympathetic towards sinners (those who hurt us) treating them as sick patients in need of recovery than as less-than-human creatures deserving only of our hatred.

The truth is that what matters is not how many times we fall, but how willing we are to pick ourselves back up. Like a baby learning how to walk, there is this sense of accomplishment when he recovers from a fall and staggers on again. The more we pick ourselves up, the more strength we gain to overcome that particular sin.