A NEW BEGINNING

      Have you ever had second thoughts regarding a decision that you made?  I have, and thus this post.

     At the end of December I posted that it was time to bring the "Journey Thoughts" experience to a close and move on in my retirement.  It had been nearly ten years of posting.  In the three and a half months since then I have time and time again thought about things that I had read or things that I have said that I wanted to share with you.  The other day I said to myself that it was time to "bite the bullet" and admit that I made a mistake.  So ... here we are.  I am "revisiting" the "Journey Thoughts" mission, and as of today am embarking on year eleven of the journey.  I hope that my musings will be of benefit to at least some of you.

     One thing that I hope to do is to share reflections on the Sunday scriptures, borrowing from another ministry that I am involved in on our local Catholic radio station WAOB (We Are One Body), 106.7 fm.  I share a weekly "lectio divina" program of scripture reflections.  They may be of benefit to you.

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     In chapter 2 of the first Letter of Saint John from the Third Sunday of Easter of this past week, the author speaks words that apply to us as appropriately as they did for those for whom they were written.

     In verse 1 we read: "My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin."

     With all the lessons that we have learned ... with all of the admonishments that have come to us over the centuries ... and from the painful experiences of the effects of our sinful failures ... you would think that we would lead a good life and not sin.  But the devastating reality is that we still sin.  Dealing with the results of our sins and the punishments that afflict us does not keep us on the "straight and narrow".

     So we are patiently reminded again and again, by the Lord and his Church, that our God is merciful and open to give us another chance.

     1st John continues: "But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world."

     Once again into the breech the Lord sends not an Abraham nor a Moses nor a prophet or teacher ... but an Advocate with the Father who paid the price for our sins and stands as the victor over sin and death.

     What does this mean for those of us slow to believe (as we hear in Luke 24:25) ... stubborn in responding to the gift of new life ... and foolish in repeating our failures?  It mean that the Lord is a kind and merciful God and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and in our life of faith, we can gaze upon the "face of divine mercy" and come back to life.

     We hear "Whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him."  This is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus.

     If we are slow to respond, this serves not as an excuse (for there can be no excuse from responding to this kind of life-giving blessing) but as a reminder that Jesus will never abandon us, but rather patiently help us understand and follow the message of the scriptures.  He wants us to have joy and hope; and to trust in God's intention and desire for us.

     Follow the commandments of love and live in the truth of God's heart.