Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob. — Psalm 146:5

Mass Readings: Jeremiah 18:1-6 / Matthew 13:47-53

Making Good

Passages like today’s Gospel always scare me. In the final judgment, will I be a “good fish” or a “bad fish”? Will I be allowed into heaven or cast out into the darkness? It’s important to remember that the work of Jesus is precisely to help us to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Although we’re weak, God is strong. Although we make mistakes, God can rectify them. Although we sometimes deliberately do bad acts, God always stands ready to forgive us. When I’m a “bad fish,” I go to the sacrament of reconciliation. In confession, I hear those wonderful words from the priest, “May God grant you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Prayer: Dear God, help me to confess wrongdoing, make amends, and start anew as often as needed.