Despite our own carelessness

By Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas, Jesus in My Heart
Excerpted from "Carelessness" (orig. title)

DESPITE OUR OWN CARELESSNESS

A little boy celebrated his eighteenth birthday. When I asked
him what he remembers of his birthday last year, he answered: "Last
year, I received my first pair of long pants." According to him,
this new pair of pants was about six inches longer than his usual
size. So he asked his mother to cut it short for him. His mother
refused, saying: "Keep it that way. In no time it will fit you as you
grow so fast." Wanting to really have his pants cut short, he
approached his elder sister and grandmother with the same request .
Both offered some excuse not to do it for him.

With a heavy heart, he went to sleep, resigned with the fact
that he will have to wear his pants longer than usual. As he was
asleep, his mother saw his pants by his bed. Feeling guilty at having
turned down the boy's earlier request, she cut off six inches from it
to fit his size. After which, she returned the pants by the bed.
Then, his elder sister also happened to pass by. She saw the pants
and felt guilty also so she cut off six inches from it as the boy had
requested. The grandmother came in next and did the same thing as
his mother and elder sister. The next day, on his birthday, he had a
new pair of short pants! On that day also his mother, elder sister
and grandmother felt even more guilty. Why? They knew that what
they did for the boy was an effort that they did not think about. It
was a careless effort.

We all do the same thing ourselves. We do things without much
thought. We say things we do not mean. We make promises that we
could hardly keep.

Peter and Paul were like that. We know how Peter said to the
Lord: "Lord, I will never leave you." And to that remark the Lord
could only say: "Tomorrow, before the cock crows three times, you
will deny Me three times." And Paul? Paul was a dedicated Pharisee.
He thought that in killing the first Christian he was doing God's
will.

...We do not celebrate Peter and Paul's faults and careless
efforts. We celebrate the fact that despite our own carelessness and
faults, God gives us new opportunities. Peter made a mistake. Paul
committed the same. But God gave them another chance.

You may have committed so many sins. You may have made broken
promises. You may have done things without reflecting. But there is
always second chance for you. I invite you to begin again and become
great yourself.

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From: JoeGatuslao@smartwifi.com.ph