You can go back to faith

Sometimes we can get ourselves in a very bad situation.

Sometimes we have made a series of choices that were not always the best, that may have been at least a little bit immoral or "borderline", and now we are deep in a very immoral situation that is shutting us off from the light of God.

Some may tell us that "you're in this now" or that "it's too late, you're damaged goods already" or "you might as well make the best of it, because you're stuck."

The great message of the conversion of St. Paul, recounted in today's first reading (Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22) is that we do not have to be trapped in sin: we can turn from it NOW.

If Saul, who was murderously persecuting the Holy Ones of God, can be turned from his most evil path and become one of the most righteous of Apostles by the grace of God, then you and I can, by that same grace, be brought out of the immoral box we have built for ourselves and live again as faithful children of God.

Will everything be the same for us in this world as if we had never gone down that evil path? No. In fact, we may have to go through many challenges, but at least we can go forward - no matter what difficulties we may face - with the inner peace and confident assurance of faith by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me - a sinner.