As we travel through life, whilst we might mostly make good decisions, showing compassion, empathy and love to those whose paths cross ours, there have been times and will be times when we make decisions which are not the best at all.  We are all only human. 

How hard it can be.  To acknowledge to ourselves that we have acted in a disappointing manner, that our actions have caused others distress and pain, to know we have left undone an action which would have brought ease and comfort to others.  Hard too, to acknowledge our failings to others.  Sometimes we have great difficulty bringing our failings to our God;  to our God, who loves us, who knows us, who has called us by name, and whose love is eternally forgiving. Goodness! Why do we find it difficult?

Our readings today remind us that our choices are our responsibility only; the responsibility for our choices lies only within ourselves. It sounds so simple – of course we are responsible for our own decisions.   And yet, it’s not always simple and often not easy.

In our daily lives, we are constantly bombarded with information, it’s an incessant chatter in our work lives, in our home lives, in our time with family and friends, in our community time. Newsflashes on our mobile phones, news in our homes on our televisions, on radios, in podcasts - news and noise, non-stop. We are blitzed with noise and information. It can be difficult, but we each need to seek and grant ourselves ‘peace time’.  A time when we shut out all but the gifts of silence and peace.  A time for us to slow down, to be still and to listen for God in our hearts. A time for us to sift slowly and prayerfully through all this ‘noise’. A time when we might listen to the Word of God and come to recognise the Good News amongst all we see and hear.

In finding this precious and vital time we allow God’s enduring love to help us regain our equilibrium, to receive the enveloping gift of God’s deep and abiding peace.  To breathe deeply, to reset our minds and hearts, and to gain the fortitude to go forth in peace, glorifying the Lord by our lives.

In Ezekial we learn that God does not like to see wicked people die.  God enjoys seeing them turn from their sins and live.  So stop sinning and live.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians we are exhorted ‘don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than ourselves. Care about them as much as we care about ourselves; and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought.’

In the Gospel, ‘Jesus went out moved by regret’.  He was saddened that the chief priests and elders of the people had remained unmoved by the authenticity and true righteousness of John the Baptist, whilst many others had been able to recognise these truths, and had altered their ways to reflect what they had learnt. 

May we go forward in our lives, taking time to listen to and recognise the truth and beauty of God’s love ever present in our life and in our world.  May our choices lead to actions that glorify the Lord in all we do.