There is a television series on Netflix called, “Beef,” which is winning all types of awards. It is described as an “existential thriller.” Two strangers, named Danny and Amy (played by Steven Yuen and Ali Wong), devise various schemes to seek revenge on each other for a car accident in a store parking lot. Their feud becomes a “road rage on steroids” that changed their lives forever. It culminates in a car chase where both of them drive off a cliff. They are alive, but have no way to contact anyone. Amy forces Danny at gun point to forage for food, which leads them to eat poisonous berries. Believing they are dying; they share with each other about the pain in their lives. Danny is a failing contractor. The accident that sparked the feud occurred in the parking lot of Amy’s failed business she was closing. They walk back together to the city. Danny was admitted into the hospital where he falls into a coma. Amy hugs him passionately. When Danny awakes, he returns the embrace. There is a scene in this show where she asks her therapist a question that revealed to me how wonderful God’s Good News is. Amy asks, “Do you think love can really be unconditional? You know, there must be some point where we all fall outside the reach of love. Like the mistake is so big and then the love has to stop.” When I heard that, bells rang and lights flashed in my mind. I yelled out to my three cats sleeping in my lap, “That’s God’s Good News!” No one falls outside the reach of His Love. Jesus proclaimed that God’s Love never stops. Your biggest sin, your worst mistake, cannot keep God from loving you. That’s what unconditional love means. I remembered the words of actor Martin Sheen when a news reporter asked him to comment about the drug abuse and craziness of his son Charlie, who got f ired from the show “Two and a Half Men.” Martin calmly replied, “I’ll have to love him more.” The first humans with a soul, Adam and Eve, screwed up really bad in the Garden of Eden. Satan was so jealous that God made humans. Psalm 8:6-7 gives the reason: “You made him (humans) a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler of the works of Your hands.” Satan felt this honor should have belonged to him. He sought revenge against God by tempting Adam and Eve to turn against God. The very first sin was idolatry. “You will not surely die,” the serpent told her. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God. (Gen 3:4-5) The root of every sin is idolatry. I, the creature, turn away from the Creator. I make myself a god. But God has not abandoned us. Jesus is the arms of God reaching out to us with a never-stopping Love, a reach that has no limit. The Good News becomes visible in the flesh of Jesus, who came to our rescue. “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mark 1:15) This is God’s decisive moment to win us back. It’s like Jesus is saying, “Pay attention! See! I come to save you!” So what should our response be? You must do two things: “Repent and believe in the Good News.” Here is where Christians (especially Catholics) find a stumbling block. Repentance means to turn around. Turn away from the sin and turn back to God. But too often Christians let guilt get in the way of their repentance. The guilt feelings keep them from believing that God forgives them. Often have I dealt with people who can’t repent because their guilt is so great, they can’t believe God really forgives them. “Why should I go to church? God probably doesn’t want me anyways.” They are afraid the church walls will fall on them. Believing in the Good News requires that you not only accept and believe God’s Mercy, but you have to forgive yourself. There is a true story about Joyce Brown, who had a life-after-death experience. She carried shame for many years because she treated her mother so badly as a teenager. She never got a chance to tell her mom she loved her. She never got a chance to ask forgiveness. Mom died suddenly from a heart attack. Joyce herself died suddenly, but was revived. She had a life review in Heaven that healed her shame. In the life review, she expected to see the times she hurt her mom, the times of disrespect and ugly behavior. To her surprise, there was nothing. She even asked the angel why there is no record of her meanness. The angel replied, “It was wiped out.” Joyce asked, “Why?” The angel replied, “Because at those times your mom forgave you.” God says, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) When you repent, God remembers your sin no more. Why should you?” Blessings … Fr. Mike