St James Catholic Church

In today’s Gospel Jesus told a brief story about a father who had two sons.  Both of the sons were asked to go to work in the vineyard.  The first one quickly responded to do what his father told him.  But he never showed up to work.  He never followed through on what he promised to do.  The other son flatly rejected his father’s instruction.  After some thought he regretted his decision and went to work in the vineyard.  This second son is the hero of the story.  Jesus wants us to choose him as an example.  Afterall, we all have regrets.  Some of us try to convince ourselves that our regrets do not really matter that much, and they are hardly worth mentioning.  Or we may take the opposite approach.  We relive and wallow in our regrets.  They bother us and make us feel ashamed.    We feel sorry for what we have done, or failed to do, and assume that feeling sorry is adequate compensation for our failures.

Neither of these responses is productive or helpful.  They represent a waste of one of life’s most powerful and potentially useful emotions.   A recent theme in today’s world is not to waste, to be more conservative.  Do not waste water.  Do not waste our forests.  Do not waste energy.  Let’s also include in the list of things we should not waste the feeling  of regret.  It can set into motion a process of change and correction.  There’s an old expression, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  Let us resolve to do something or stop something.  Positive action is the answer to regret.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, all our schedules and activities have changed.  So what do we do with the extra time we have?  Maybe pray about the regrets we’ve had in the past and begin to change them.  How about going to Mass on a weekly basis?  When's the last time you went to confession?  How about spending more time with the family?  More spiritual reading and prayer in general.  Taking better care of our health through exercise and better eating habits.  All the projects we’ve put off around the house.  Writing a letter or calls to a long lost friend.  Volunteering to help neighbors or the church when we see a need.  There is a new and abundant life beyond our regrets.

Love, Peace, Joy

Fr. Bob