Fr. Mark Baron, MIC, teaches that we are personally responsible for our actions and for how we respond to God. Drawing on Ezekiel, he reminds us that we cannot blame our parents or previous generations for our own sinful choices. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, but we are responsible for freely responding to that grace, repenting of our transgressions, and making moral choices according to His will. God desires our good, although His plans may not always match our wishes. Trusting Him means believing that He is a loving Father who knows what is truly best for us, even when obedience is difficult or we do not fully understand what He asks.

Fr. Baron also invites us to examine why we resist God and struggle to surrender to Him. Our rebellious tendencies and lack of trust can lead us to cling to our own desires rather than accept His guidance. This examination is especially important when we are living in mortal sin: a life marked by many virtues does not remove the need to repent of serious sin, which endangers our eternal salvation. We are accountable for what we choose, but God’s mercy remains available to us. His invitation is to turn away from sin, trust His goodness, and freely return to Him with a repentant heart.

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