There are consequences to every decision we make. With the decisions we make that are not pleasing to God, our loving Father tries to hold back the wrath that we bring upon ourselves as a result from those sins. However, as we sin more and more and as the sin goes deeper and deeper, God as a loving Father has no choice but to let go a little from the protective barrier He has wrapped around us and allow us to feel the pain of our sinfulness. But why? Why would He allow for his beloved children to feel any pain?

Because He wants you to repent. He desires for you to turn back to Him and know His unending love for you.

Tonight’s homily by Father Kevin McGoldrick painted this image in my head. I tried to paraphrase and try to articulate what he said tonight, but I really wish you could have been there to have heard the actual words come from his mouth, they were prophetic.

Repentance. The Lord calls us to repentance. And thank God He does. Thank God he’s lovingly taken me back into His arms when I chose in my ignorance to live in perpetual sin and still now each and every time I continue to sin against Him. Thank you God for taking me back. Thank you for a love I don’t deserve as I have done nothing to deem myself worthy of your love. Thank you for gifting me your relentless love.

Often the most difficult lessons bear the most fruit. ‘Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance,’ says Matthew 3:8. Repent and then produce good fruit. Show me you are sorry and regretful for your transgressions. Once you have evidenced that you are truly sorry, then go and bear good fruit. Bear good fruit. The ultimate task of our lives is to bear good fruit, to bring good to the world, to spread the light of Christ in ALL things. How can we bear good fruit if we do not have repentant hearts? Hearts that show no regret are not filled with love. They may have some love, but they are not filled to the brim with love. How much more are we able to spread the Lord’s love if our hearts are FILLED with love rather than sin?

Go then, repent and be free from your sins. Be free and produce good fruit.