One of the twelve promises states, “We will neither regret the past nor close the door on it.” This ties today’s Gospel reading as well as one of the two choices for today’s first reading, during which Saint Paul states, “God works all things for the greater good of those who love Him” (Roman 8:28). Part of our recovery includes embracing the past and the mistakes we have made. It means looking back and realizing that our choices, even the bad ones, have brought us to the point of recovery and the joy of being free from addiction. We can look back at the past and get angry and embittered. Or we can look back and see the grace-filled fruit that has come from it. Just as God brought about His son Jesus Christ into the world through a genealogy of sinners, so too can God bring healing and peace into our lives through our personal history of sin and addiction. It may not occur right away but when we allow God to enter into our lives we can begin to understand that the painful choices of our past can, through His redemptive grace, lead to the joys of the present and the future to come.

Reflection Questions

• Reflect on the moments you have made bad decisions, perhaps even the ones that led you to your “rock bottom.” How has God transformed these moments to produce fruit in your life?
• What areas of your life are you struggling with today that you can turn over to God, trusting that He will draw good from them?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 13:6ab, 6c
Gospel: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 or Matthew 1:18-23

Reflection by Michael G.