For the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time…
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17
Here we have Jesus, at the start of his ministry, preaching his core message. This Good News is as much an invitation, and as essential, for us today as it was for the first hearers of it. We, too, are invited to embrace the kingdom of God, to draw closer to Christ by turning from our sins and believing the Gospel. This repentance, this conversion, is not a one-time thing. It must be ongoing, always informing our lives, no matter our age or circumstances.
Here’s a pro tip for the Catholics reading this: Let me invite you to consider making a monthly confession. Just put it on your calendar, like you’d schedule any other appointment. It will get easier to recall what you need in a good examination of conscience by making a more frequent commitment. And we all need the grace—every single one of us. Life is better when grace is the glue holding us together.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church aptly states: “God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him, and so to come to paradise” (paragraph 1721). May our repentance lead the way.
Lord Jesus, help me to come closer to you day by day. May I love you above all things.
