Zep 3:1-2, 9-13 Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23 Mt 21:28-32

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections Praying Advent

The phrase that came to mind for me as I read today’s readings was “better late than never”. This seems to be Jesus’ attitude towards people who have strayed away from him or do not have him in their life at all but then change their lives and live for God. Jesus would prefer we went down the wrong path at first but then turned around rather than never follow the path to him at all. Jesus explains in today’s Gospel that past sinners such as tax collectors and prostitutes are welcomed into the Kingdom of God after they recognize the truth and respond to it appropriately. As the Gospel exemplifies, it is never too late to turn to the Lord.  

One of the biggest hindrances to following Christ is that we can feel like we have strayed away from God for too long or too badly to really be able to return to him. This is how I initially felt when I had my conversion in high school. All my life up until that point I was not really a practicing Catholic. I went to Mass on Easter and Christmas but that was the extent of my faith life. When I realized I really wanted to live and practice my faith on my Confirmation retreat, I first felt like I had strayed away from God for too long, but I came to realize that God wants nothing more than to bring us all closer into relationship with him. He tells us “you need not be ashamed of all your deeds” and “no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him”. Let's all take comfort in these words and use them to help bring ourselves back to the Lord when we make mistakes and struggle to follow God’s will.