Daily Reflections

July 12, 2011
Jesus Had Regrets

I found myself listing some of my regrets in life as I look forward to celebrating my 50th birthday in two years. Among the things I wrote were: “I should have cared more for my hair. I should have been more conscientious about my diet and food intake. I should have been more demonstrative of my love for my grandparents. I should have spent more time with them. I should have learned how to drive.”
As the lines of a famous song goes: “Regrets I have a few...” While life seemed slow when we were young, it seems to pass us by more quickly now that we are older, more mature and more serious about things that we have to accomplish and do.
Jesus spent just 33 years of life on earth, and devoted only three years for teaching and preaching. In today’s Gospel, it is uplifting to know that He also had some regrets about the outcome of some of His mission work. Not everything ended the way He would have wanted them to. There were places where His efforts to win people over to the values of the Kingdom were not welcome. Part of the reality of life is having to reckon with a good number of unknowns and variables. For instance, a driver may really be conscious about driving safely, but he has no control over the driving habits of others. So, accidents may happen even to the most careful driver.
The beautiful point we can learn from Jesus is this: Let us not allow our regrets to spoil everything. In the same way that Jesus had to move on despite His message being rejected by the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, Tyre and Sidon, we need to learn the art of surrendering each and every event in our life to God’s all-knowing ways. In God’s wisdom, even the most foolish thing finds meaning. In God’s mercy, even the worst error and sin find redemption and justification. Let us not try to play gods, goddesses, or demigods even. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Befriend your own failures and regrets. List them down, recognize, name and own them. Lift them up to God in prayer and ask for His wisdom and mercy.

Father God, help me to surrender my regrets to You and grant me courage and hope to make the most of what is to come. Amen.

St. Veronica, pray for us.