Fleeting thoughts...

I had a fleeting thought about "regrets" and want to try to catch it. The world's wisdom sometimes says, with a half joke, "I resolve to have no regrets!" Reality is that the resolve we need --for what are often our greatest achievements-- comes from our regrets. I can only sketch this out in very general terms. It is worth pondering. What motivates us, especially as we find ourselves slowing down in our 4os and 50s, to push ourselves out of our comfort zones? If God's Wisdom be our guide, then our regrets can be like money in the bank. Our regrets may be, and can be, the building blocks of our resolve. To what do we direct this resolution. We resolve to love and to love fruitfully. Got fruits?

Related to this -- a few years back, our pastor gave a fantastic homily on guilt. He debunked the "Catholic guilt" myth and said that there should be no such thing. Why? Because we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If I am not mistaken, this relatively new name was given to this powerhouse Sacrament because it is not just a confession of sin. After our confession, we receive Absolution. The grace that comes from sacramental absolution help us to see ourselves as God sees us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. We must depend on His grace utterly.

When I was in R.C.I.A., back in 1999-2000, I trembled a bit at the thought of my First Reconciliation. I was given the actual grace of not thinking about it too much, and, when it was over, and the days rolled in to weeks, I realized that, while I was full of regret for the years I had lost not being a Catholic, I was also full, to the point of overflowing, with relief and joy at the merciful gift of faith that I had received. I do not think a day goes by that I do not marvel at what the Blessed Trinity can do in a person.