Catechism: Funhouse MirrorsSample

The story of the prodigal son tells of a young man who chose his own way. Turning against his father, he demanded his inheritance and went off, living a life of sin and rebellion.

Sin is like a funhouse mirror. It distorts our view of ourselves, our identity, and our relationship with God. The prodigal son’s choices affected how he saw his worth, just like our choices affect how we see ourselves.

We don’t have to choose to sin or to keep looking into that twisted reflection in the funhouse mirror. Instead, we can trust that God’s compassion and love towards us turn our hearts and minds toward him, reminding us who God calls us to be.

So how do you take hold of your identity given by God? It requires a change in direction. The Bible calls that repentance.

Think of repentance as a spiritual U-turn: You stop running toward sin and the things you think will make you happy, and instead, you start running toward God.

When you do, you’ll find that he’s running, with open arms, in your direction, too.

Read: Luke 15:7, 11-32

Reflect: Have you ever allowed your mistakes or sin to define you? Is there an area in your life where you need to repent?

Repent: Take a moment and reach out to God. Start by confessing your sin to him and ask God to show you your next steps, how you can change direction and run toward him.