No Regrets

No Regrets

Eileen Renders   February 2024

   Most of us have at one time or another said or done something in our past that we sincerely regret, and we often revisit those words we said to someone, or something we did that hurt someone. Reliving this event may create a regret that is mixed with guilt, and wrapped with sorrow and negativity. Reliving our mistakes is a sort of punishment that we impose upon ourselves.

   If we intend to hurt someone thoughtlessly, it is right to feel some guilt. And if we unintentionally hurt someone, feeling some regret is understandable. However, when we do feel regret, guilt, or sorrow for something in the past that we may have said or done to another, we sincerely admit that we see our mistakes and faults. Regretting that we have hurt someone affirms that we are individuals who want to do better in the future in our relationships with others.

   Living in the past, and retaining memories of unpleasant times in our life is not the best way to move forward as that would be hanging on to negativity, and not forgiving ourselves. This is when we would be wise to keep in mind how often we may have hurt our God through sin, and how our sins led Him to be tortured and crucified on the Cross to allow our souls to be cleansed, and he did that because of his great love for us, he forgives us over, and over again.

   God created the sacrament of Reconciliation so that we could confess our sins regularly, and receive absolution that once again cleanses our souls when we are sincerely sorry for hurting Christ. And always, he does this for the love of his creatures. He comes to us then body and soul in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

   Therefore, we must forgive ourselves, and pray to become an example of Christ’s love for us by showing love and mercy to others who may offend us. We do this by forgiving them and loving them. When we allow ourselves to time and again, revisit guilt, shame, remorse, and regret, we are moving away from Christ because we feel unworthy to approach him. And this is exactly what makes Satan happy. We do not necessarily have to forgive and forget our wrongdoing as we do want to do better in the future. Yet, we may look back briefly and proudly say, “I am a better person today”. We can choose to feel the warmth and love that comes to us from Christ and share it with all whom we meet.