I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry.
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (1 Tm 1:12-14)
I think it is safe to say that all of us have a checkered past.
All of us have said things or done things in our lives of which we are not proud.
All of us have left things unsaid or undone that should have been acted upon.
All of us are sinners and some of our sins may have been whoppers.
Therein is a wonderful mystery: God’s love redeems us and creates us anew.
St. Paul, in today’s reading. wrote about what a terrible person he had been. He said and did things contrary to God’s love and God’s law, even when he thought that he was acting right.
Paul knew that God had poured grace upon grace into his life so that he could change.
We are so like Paul.
We have said and done things that are contrary to God’s love and God’s law.
However, just as He embraced Paul, God embraces each and every one of us and pours grace into us, His unworthy vessels, so that we can have the wherewithal to change.
Try not to dwell upon past deeds committed or omitted. Rather, let yourself be embraced by pure love this day and feel His grace flow through you, allowing you to change.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for those who are trapped in ways that are against God’s will, that they be open to God’s grace and accept the opportunity to change their lives.