Commentary on the Gospel of
Great Shakespeare says, “All is well that ends well.” Jesus teaches us that it is the last decision that matters most than the first one. Possibly one may lead a life of sin and shame but later he may repent and be reformed. Jesus says that his former ways would be forgotten. The contrary is also likewise very true. One might have lived a wonderful life, performed good deeds in the past, behaved so immaculately, yet right now if he is filled evil, jealousy, hatred, revenge, etc. all those good past deeds would be easily forgotten and they won’t come to save him. Perhaps, many of us would have been more pious, God-fearing, Church-going, praying, good behaving when we were children. But right now, we would have been different persons, with works of flesh like fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these (cf. Gal 5:19-21). Let us remember, we are what we are, not what we were. For Jesus, prostitutes and tax collectors would be held in high regard now because they heeded to the call of John for conversion but not the chief priests and elders. Advent is our season to become how we should be.
