Our Failures Are Not Final

Sometimes, like Frodo in the Lord of the Rings, we make it so far holding out strong and faithful but then right as we get to the very end of our journey, we succumb to the corrupting influence of evil. We made it so far but now all seems lost. And when we have sinned and fallen, we may be buffeted by the powers of the evil one, we may wrestle with inner demons and outside forces, we may even be bloodied and wounded, and it may seem like the whole world is exploding around us. But this is not the end. We did not make it this far just for all to be lost. Just like Frodo and Sam were snatched from fiery ruin, so too will Christ bear us up on the wings of eagles. We are saved by Christ after all we can do. Sometimes we struggle and we drag our burdens all the way to the fiery pits of Mount Doom and we can go no further. That’s all we can do. And that’s OK. Frodo’s momentary lapse at the end of the journey did not ruin everything. The Ring was still destroyed and the Dark Lord was vanquished even though Frodo faltered at a crucial moment. Thanks to the Atonement of Christ, our failures are not final, and despite our best or our worst efforts, through our successes and our failures, the work of the Lord will roll forth unimpeded, and the Lord will consecrate all our efforts, and will make up for all of our failures.