Homily: February 27, 2026Friday of the First Week in Lent (Salvation)

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 “Since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.”

In the spiritual tradition of the Church, we often talk about the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, hell.

Death is certain for each one of us. We will all die one day. 

Judgment is also certain. It is part of our encounter with God. He is the ultimate Judge.

Then the final destination. It is not heaven and hell, it is heaven or hell. Each of us will have the freedom to choose.

Do you think everyone will choose heaven?

Many do not want hell, but that does not mean they want heaven. Choosing heaven means choosing God, choosing His will. This is where we all failed. Everyone has sinned.

But in today’s first reading, the prophet Ezekiel gives all of us a great big hope: our past does not have the final word.

The hope is that if a person turns away from sin, if they repent and choose what is right, they shall live - repent and believe in the Gospel!

Many people, myself included, have been carrying baggages of our past. We give so much weight to our sins that we don’t think God is big enough to forgive. Even after confession, we continue to dwell on it, burdened by guilt.

God does not look at our past, yet we do!

God will not judge us nor condemn us based on our past but asks us, what are we choosing today?

Scripture tells us through St. Paul: “Now is the day of salvation.”

It is not about what we did in the past. It is what we choose today. Now. This very moment.

Eternity is shaped not by what we once were, but by what we are now. We are forgiven.

This is the heart of the Gospel: God’s mercy is always greater than our sin.

To walk forward, we cannot keep looking back.

So, let our past go to hell. And what do we do when we fully realize that we are forgiven?

We run forward towards heaven, towards God who has been waiting to embrace us. 

Amen.


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