God rewards acts of repentance
Posted by Bob Kenward on September 21, 2008
Prepare for Mass – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Today’s Readings
Listen to today’s readings
When we fall into serious sin, it is good to recall the mercy and compassion of God, have a conversion of heart, and come to realize that our own way may not be the best for us.
Ez 18:25-28
You say, “The LORD’S way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Remain in sin and die, repent and you shall live. Make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is where where we find the power and grace of God and strength to turn away from sin. Trusting in the goodness and grace of God, we ask for forgiveness. We are given the opportunity to start again, accept his forgiveness, and by his grace, we will merit eternal life.
St Paul in Philipians 2 remarks on how Jesus being in the form of God didn’t regard equality with God, he emptied himself entirely, putting aside any self interest, obedient even to death on a cross. Phil 2:9-11 — Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In the parable of the two sons, we see that one son made a bad choice by disobeying and later thought better of it while the other son said he was going to obey, but didn’t. The first son, after reflection realized he’d made a mistake, thought of his father’s needs, put his self second, and by doing so, he did the father’s will. He may have wanted to do something much more fun that day, but he came to the conclusion that putting his own self interests aside was the right thing to do.
Father Ted Tyler reflects on the parable of the two sons
More from Father Tyler from his website at http://www.catholic-church.org/ejtyler
The Two Sons from Jeff Kashat’s youtube site
part 1
part 2
Psalm 25
A song on Psalm 25 by Steve Bell
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) song by Chris Tomlin; video by Michelle Matylda Teh
