Reflect today on our Lord's exhortation to repent

From that moment on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matthew 4:17

Now that the celebrations of the Octave of Christmas and Epiphany are over, we begin to turn our eyes to the public ministry of Christ. The top line of today's Gospel presents us with the most central summary of all of Jesus' teachings: Repent. However, it not only says to repent, it also says that "the Kingdom of Heaven is near". And that second statement is the reason we need to repent.

In his spiritual classic, The Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola explains that the main reason for our life is to give God the greatest possible glory. In other words, to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to light. But he goes on to say that this can only be accomplished when we turn away from sin and all inordinate attachments in our life, so that the one and only center of our life is the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the goal of repentance.

We will soon celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and then we will return to ordinary time in the liturgical year. During ordinary time, we will reflect on Jesus' public ministry and focus on his many teachings. But all of His teachings, everything He says and does, ultimately lead us to repentance, to turning away from sin, and to turning to our glorious God.

In your life, it is essential that you put the call to repentance before your mind and heart. It is essential that every day you listen to Jesus who says these words to you: "Repent, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near". Don't just think of Him saying this many years ago; rather, listen to it today, tomorrow and every day of your life. There will never be a time in your life when you don't need to repent with all your heart. We will never achieve perfection in this life, so repentance must be our daily mission.

Reflect today on this exhortation of our Lord to repent. Repent with all your heart. Examining your actions every day is essential to this mission. See the ways your actions keep you away from God and reject those actions. And look for ways that God is active in your life and embrace those acts of mercy. Repent and turn to the Lord. This is Jesus' message for you today.

Lord, I regret the sin in my life and pray that You will give me the grace to become free from all that keeps me away from You. May I not only turn away from sin, but also turn to You as the source of all mercy and fulfillment in my life. Help me keep my eyes on the Kingdom of Heaven and do everything possible to share that Kingdom here and now. Jesus I believe in you