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<v SPEAKER_00>If I had to summarize the entire spiritual life in one sentence, it might be the very first line of today's first reading.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Notice that God does not say, Hey, I want you to start over.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He doesn't say, earn your way back.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He does not say, prove yourselves worthy.

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<v SPEAKER_00>No, he simply says, return.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's one of the most beautiful words in the Bible, because it reminds us that Christianity is not primarily about never falling.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's about returning.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Every saint had to return.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Saint Peter returned after denying Christ.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The prodigal son returned after wasting his inheritance.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Saint Augustine returned after years of chasing everything except God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Holiness is not the absence of failure.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Holiness is the refusal to stay away from the Father's house.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then Hosea gives us something remarkable.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He tells the people exactly what to bring when they return.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not sacrifices, not money, not impressive achievements.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He says, Take with you words and return to the Lord.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's beautiful.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God simply wants an honest conversation.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He wants us to be able to say, Lord, I have sinned against you.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Lord, please forgive me.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Lord, I need you.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Lord, I want you in my life.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's why confession is such a powerful sacrament.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God is not waiting for a polished speech.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He's waiting for your heart, a humble heart.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then comes one of my favorite verses in all of Hosea.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God says, I will heal their defection.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I will love them freely.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Notice the order.

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<v SPEAKER_00>First God heals, then he loves.

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<v SPEAKER_00>No, he heals because he already loves.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We often think God loves us once we've changed.

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<v SPEAKER_00>No.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Now, if we turn to the gospel, it says exactly the opposite.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God loves us first.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's the heart of Christianity.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Grace always comes before growth.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mercy always comes before holiness.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Love comes before transformation.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And because God's love is free, no one here is beyond his mercy.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not the person who has been away from the church, not the one person who's been carrying a deep sin, years of regret, not the one who thinks, well, I made too many mistakes.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I'm way past redemption.

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<v SPEAKER_00>No, God's invitation is always the same.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Return to me.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then Jesus gives the apostles a very different message in the gospel.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He does not promise them comfort, he promises opposition.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He says, I'm sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's not exactly a recruiting slogan.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Imagine interviewing for a job and hearing that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>You'll be misunderstood, you'll be hated, you'll be persecuted.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And yet that's exactly what Jesus says.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Well, because he wants his disciples to understand something very clearly.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The goal of Christianity is not to avoid suffering, the goal is to remain faithful through suffering.

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<v SPEAKER_00>One of the great mistakes Christians make is thinking that difficulties mean God has abandoned us.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Well, the saints knew better.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sometimes opposition is not evidence that you're doing something wrong.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sometimes it's evidence that you're doing something right.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Jesus himself was rejected.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The apostles were rejected.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Nearly every saint was rejected at some point.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Faithfulness has never been measured by popularity.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's always been measured by perseverance.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's why Jesus ends with these powerful words.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Whoever endures to the end will be saved.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Notice he does not say whoever begins well.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Many people begin well.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But he says, whoever endures.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The Christian life is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It is choosing Christ today, tomorrow, and the day after that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's returning after every fall, trusting after every disappointment, praying when you don't feel like it, structuring your life, having a great discipline to God, remaining faithful when no one notices.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So today, perhaps the Lord is asking each of us two questions.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Where do I need to return?

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<v SPEAKER_00>And second, am I looking for an easy Christian life or a faithful one?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because the promise of Jesus is not the road that will be easy.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The promise is that He will walk with us in our difficulties, in our sufferings.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And in the end, that's more than anything.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Amen.