Jeremiah 3:22

Through the prophet the Lord speaks and declares with his own gracious words how much mercy and goodness he wishes to bestow on humankind. He says, "But if the wicked do penance for all his sins, which he has committed, and keeps all my commandments and does justice and mercy, living he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he has done. In his justice, which he has done, he shall live." And, "Is it my will that a sinner should die," says the Lord God, "and not that he should be converted from his evil ways, and I shall cause him to live?" In another passage we find, "The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him on the day that he turns from his wickedness." And again: "Return, you returning children, and I will heal your sorrow."

Let us return to the Lord our God, and whenever we pray, he, who daily urges us to pause and get to know him, will hear us. And in another place he says, "Return to me, and I will return to you." And again, "Return to me, my backsliding children, and I will rule over you." Ezekiel likewise calls on us, saying, "Why will you die, O house of Israel? I want not the death of the sinner, only that he turn from his evil ways and live." The most merciful Lord and source of all goodness cries out to us in the Gospel and declares, "Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Carry my yoke on you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Let us consider that the goodness of God calls us to repentance, and holy people encourage us to salvation. Let us not harden our hearts and collect against ourselves a store of divine anger for the day of wrath. Then, on that day, shall be revealed the just judgment of God, who will repay each one according to his deeds. But let us return to the Lord with our whole heart. According to the words of Moses, who reminds us, "If you return to the Lord with your whole heart, he will purify your heart and the heart of your descendants."

It is clearly written in the Acts of the apostles that the apostles first went into the synagogue of the Jews, proclaiming to them, as to kinsmen through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the things written concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. But when, since those men would not receive what was said, it was necessary that there should be other hearers of what was spoken, then, having defended their cause to them, they left them behind; for it is written: "It was necessary that the word of God should be proclaimed to you; but since you judge yourselves unworthy, behold, we turn to the nations." And this thing, though it is clearly stated in the Acts of the apostles, is in effect said in many places also by the prophets. For the Holy Spirit first speaks through the prophets to those of that people, but if ever, after it has said much, it is not heard, it prophesies the word that is proclaimed to the nations. And this very thing has come about at the beginning of today's reading, since before it there is said, to those of Israel, the words: "Even if you call me Father, yet from me you shall not be turned away. But as a wife plays false against him who is with her, so has the house of Israel played false against me, says the Lord." And when these things concerning Israel had been said first, and the sons of Israel had heard "that they did wrong in their ways and forgot God their holy one," next the Holy Spirit transfers the word to us who are of the nations and says: "Turn back, you turning sons, and I will heal your fractures." For we are the ones filled with fractures — so each might say, even if now he has been cleansed and healed from the fractures — "for we too were once foolish, foolish, going astray, enslaved to lusts and to many and various pleasures, passing our lives in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another; but when the kindness and love toward man of God our Savior appeared, through the washing of regeneration he poured out his mercy upon us." And yet, having once mentioned that apostolic saying, I will try to set it forth more plainly. For he did not say: "we were once foolish, disobedient" (only of the nations); but Paul, the apostle, the one from Israel, the one who "became blameless as regards the righteousness that is in the law," says: "for we too" (those from Israel) "were once disobedient, foolish"; so that not only those of the nations…