The God of second chances

You shall be called by a new name bestowed by the mouth of the LORD. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No more shall you be called “Forsaken,” nor your land called “Desolate,” But you shall be called “My Delight is in her,” and your land “Espoused.” For the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be espoused. (IS 62:2-4)

Our God is the God of second chances. By the point in time of salvation history when God gave the prophet Isaiah this message to preach, the Lord had already given mankind numerous chances to change their ways and revert back to loving Him alone. Never forcing His love upon them, He left them to the natural consequences of their choices. He always had a back-up plan and safety net in place, interjecting Himself into their present as needed to steer them to a future reconciliation with Him. He not only acted on a large scale for the full population, but at the same time individually since ultimately His aim was (and is) to have each individual soul with Him for eternity. 

“”You shall say to them this word: ‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is smitten with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.” (Jer 14:17)

God continues to do so for each of us individually and personally. He doesn’t want us to suffer, particularly from the harm done by the free will of others. God wants us (and them) healed. He will only permit suffering that He can later use to strengthen and perfect us, making us stronger and more beautiful through it like iron or gold tested in fire (IS 48:10; 1Peter 1:6-7). 

“I believe that there is flowing through us – those on earth, those in purgatory, and those who have reached true life – a great, unending stream of the sufferings, merits, and love of everyone, and that our least sorrow, our slightest efforts, can through grace reach others, whether near or far, and bring them light, peace, and holiness.” (Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur)

He never ceases to delight in us personally and He desires to exalt each of us as His own. Is that believable? Too often, life’s battles leave us thinking we aren’t worthy of his love. We may be loved, but not loveable. Our dignity and honor have been taken forever from us. Such a universal negative, the dooming belief that we will never be worthy, is a sure sign of the enemy. God is Love, so Love is infinite with unlimited ‘second chances. The entire bible is a testament to His perseverance in pursuit of us. He never gives up on us, and we should never give up on Him.  When we fall, it is important to recognize and confess the sin. However, it is in the getting up from the fall that relationship is built. Thus each fall is an opportunity not only to begin again, but to be recreated by Him and transformed. 

“It is a difficult task, a heroic effort, to bring forth the thought that is in us, but we must do it, breaking our souls as we might break a sacred vase so that others may breathe the divine perfume.” 

(Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur)

Which leads to our gospel this weekend on the wedding feast at Cana in which the miracle took place on the 3^rd day. The water jugs which happened to be available were those used in purification rites (Numbers 19:10-22). Water signifies regeneration. Turned into wine, it prefigures Jesus turning wine into his Precious Blood, blood considered the life force of the person. It symbolizes the new life Jesus gives to us in His Eucharist, prefigured by the covenant of blood God enacted with Moses on the 3^rd day on Mt. Sinai in which the blood of the sacrifice was put into the jugs, sprinkled on the people, who then ate and drank in God’s presence (Exodus 24: 1-10). Jesus’ first public act demonstrating His divinity is a Eucharistic one. 

“We each exist for a purpose, probably for many purposes. The very concept of a final judgment includes seeing what such purposes might be in the context of the whole of reality.” … “God created the world with a plan in mind. We are included in it, each of us.” (Fr. James Schall SJ)

And THAT brings us to the sacraments and the need to continue praying for Pope Francis, our clergy and religious, and the worldwide Church.

 O God, whose Only Begotten Son

has appeared in our very flesh,

grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed

through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

(Collect, Baptism of the Lord)

In this Jubilee of Hope, let us keep front of mind that God never ceases to delight in us personally, and He desires to exalt each of us as His own. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

(Image from Pexels)