Regrets

There is nothing I love more than when my whole family is home at the same time. I especially love when we are all sitting at the table for dinner, and I get to listen to my children tell me of their lives and their dreams.  We usually end up staying at the table after dinner is done, joking and telling stories.  It has, at times, turned into a “making fun of Dad session,” which I secretly love. Sometimes we will reminisce about something from when they were growing up.  Every once in a while, they will talk of a family memory I did not know about.  I’ll ask them, “where was I when that happened?”  They will say, “You were probably working.”

When I was a young father, I chased as much overtime work as I could.  I thought at the time that my family needed me to make as much money as I could.  I wish I could go back and tell young Chris Mars, “Yes you need to provide for your family, but they will only be children for a short time.”  This is a major regret I live with, but I have learned from it.  We all have regrets, but our Lord gives us them to learn from.  I learned that making that extra buck couldn’t compare to the time I would push my children on the swings in our back yard for hours, laughing and singing songs.  Past regrets allow us to prioritize what is important.

We have the privilege of knowing what lies ahead for Jesus after His time with Martha and Mary.  He was only going to be with them for a short time. Jesus is saving Martha from having a major regret. He is preventing her from wishing she had stopped and spent that time with Him.  He only walked this earth for a short time. We only walk this earth for a short time, but it is while we are here that we create a relationship with Christ.  It is through prayer, our Sunday obligation, and the sacraments that we can nurture that relationship. Knowing this and learning from our past regrets, we can prevent the creation of the worst regret we could ever have: coming to the end of our lives and never having established a true relationship with our Lord.  Christ is lovingly calling us to spend time with Him while we still can. 

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris