Several years ago, I had the opportunity to go to one of those places where you make your own pottery. I sat down at the potter’s wheel and began to mold the clay.
After slowly forming it into a beautiful vase, I applied too much pressure with my hands and I sent pieces of clay flying across the room, completely destroying my creation. After collecting my dispersed fragments, I started over. It was a work in progress. What started out as a vase now turned into an oddly-shaped flowerpot, then a pencil holder, then a bar of soap holder, and finally a strange-looking paperweight. Even though my project didn’t turn out the way I had planned, I was proud that I kept trying and didn’t give up.
Try, Try Again
Our readings today ask us to look at how we live our lives and to make any necessary adjustments so we can become who God made us to be. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that if things turn out badly, we just need to try again. God is always with us, even when things don’t go the way we planned or if we failed to do what we set out to accomplish. We know that we can turn to God in prayer and ask for the strength (and patience) to keep trying. My spiritual director once told me that God will not let us fail, but he may point us in another direction so we can succeed.
The parable of the net throw into the sea in the gospel also reminds us that it’s never too late to start over by being good instead of bad. Afterall, it’s not up to us to make judgements about who is wicked and who is righteous. Thankfully, that will be the responsibility of God and the angels at the end of the age.
A Life Worth Living
Maybe we need to reevaluate how we live by continually looking at our habits, how we do things, how we react in certain situations, and how we treat others. Are we following the example of Jesus, or are we just living the way we want to be living and doing our own thing?
Perhaps it’s time to focus on keeping the things (or habits) in our lives that keep us closer to Christ and discarding the things that pull us away. What better way for us to strive to be in the potter’s hand.
A Work in Progress
Our life of faith is a long and tiresome journey, and it’s hard to hold onto hope and to keep trying again and again – especially if we fail or let ourselves down because of our behavior. Remember, we are a work in progress. It’s never too late to become faithful disciples who are not necessarily perfect, but continually striving to become better at following the ways of Jesus.
May we have the strength to respond to Jesus’ invitation with compassion, zeal, and love each and every day.
Feeling the need to start over? Learn more here.
