I have a confession to make…something I hate to admit. Every once in a while, though quite rarely, rather infrequently, seldomly, intermittently, just occasionally, from time to time, and fairly uncommonly, every now and again, I make a mistake.
That’s not really true. I don’t make mistakes. Ok, just kidding…but then again not really. It is on the rare occasion that I screw up royally. On a normal day though I make mistakes—lots of them.
The reality is that for every one of us, we mess up occasionally. Sometimes in big ways and other times with minor things that cause no more than temporary annoyances or inconvenience in our lives or the lives of those around us. Striving for perfection is laudable. Expecting it is laughable. That’s just not the human condition.
So, when we make mistakes, we can have two reactions: despair or hope. Naturally we should try to correct ourselves, undo the damage or make restitution whenever possible. But sometimes it’s beyond our ability.
Fulton Sheen made a beautiful analogy about original sin. Like a musician that deliberately strikes a wrong note, that note travels at the speed of sound through time and space, unable to be recanted. The band could play on but that discord would always remain, traveling through eternity. The only way to deal with it was if someone from outside of time and space arrested that note to begin a new symphony. That’s what Jesus did on the cross…He arrested that original discord…and every discord since then and those yet to come, nailed it to the wood and began a new and more beautiful symphony.
As beautiful and comforting as that analogy may be, in practical terms, what are we to do when we make mistakes? When we can’t take them back or fix the damage, how should we deal? Is there a prayer we should pray?
St. Therese gave us the answer. I’ve tried it and can tell you firsthand that it works…and works amazingly well. It’s a two-part prayer followed by one simple action.
But before I share it, I’d like you to remember an important scripture and accept it as fact (because it is):
God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him.
All things.
That includes our mistakes and even our major league screw-ups. Don’t believe that? Then consider the fact that the biggest mistake/sin/crime ever committed was killing the Son of God on a cross. It can’t get any bigger than that. But because of that, we were freed from death. The wounds of sin in us could be healed. The gates of heaven were opened to us. The worst sin brought about the greatest miracle.
So, what should you do after a mistake that you can’t correct on your own? St. Therese used a three-step prayer formula:
Step One: Jesus, repair what I’ve done badly.
Recognize that after you’ve tried everything you can to fix things yourself, there are times when it’s beyond your control. But it is never beyond God’s. Think about that. He created the Universe, He healed lepers, He raised Lazarus and He rose from the dead. He used the jealousy and arrogance of the Pharisees, the anger of the Romans and even the weakness of the apostles to bring about our redemption. He can handle or bring good from whatever it is you did or neglected to do. It may not be immediate, but with faith, trust and good will, He will work it out for good as well.
Step Two: Supply for what I’ve left undone.
Sometimes our mistakes are not things we’ve done but important things we may have neglected to do- those sins of omission we hear about occasionally. He has those in hand as well. He can orchestrate His will despite our failings. He can use the efforts of others to supply for our own. He can find a way because He is the Way.
Step Three: Let it go and trust that He will repair and supply.
This is probably the hardest step to do…but it’s the most important one. That being said, you may start out by doing it imperfectly. You may worry and fret…a lot. That’s normal. But that’s when you need to remind yourself of Who it is you’re dealing with…the God of all creation; the Lord who created you for happiness, who wants you to trust in Him; the Savior who died for you. This problem, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem to you, is not too much for Him. Believe He can do it. Even more, believe in His love for you and that He will do it.
When we entrust all to this Lord who loves us, we can have confidence that He will truly work all out for our good.
Allison is also the Founder and President of www.CatholicTherapists.com, and CatholicLifeCoaches.com, which provide nationwide networks of screened and dedicated Catholic therapists and Catholic life coaches.
- Ep. 352 How Do You Know What God Wants? - August 19, 2026
- Ep. 351 Is Your Therapist Reinforcing a Victim Mentality? - August 12, 2026
- Hate the Sin but Love the Sinner…Do We Have That Backwards? - August 12, 2026
Affiliate Link Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. I only recommend resources I personally believe in and always have the interests of my clients and subscribers at heart.
