In the Gospel for this Monday after Epiphany (readings are here.) we hear this:
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
I don’t know about you, but for a large portion of my life, I associated repentance with all sorts of things like wearing the hairshirt or other practices of self-denial. Later I came to understand that repentance is more about understanding behavior and making a commitment to change. In the case of Jesus, we are transformed by his life if we follow him – at least we hope so – and thus we are changed. Our commitment to Christ is our commitment to a life of transformation and change.
This makes me think about how even as a church going Catholic, for many years I would have rolled my eye at the thought of “repenting.” Today, it is what I hope and pray for each day – all without the hairshirt!
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Repentance for me is feeling very sorry for what I did, realize that I am loved anyway, and turn my heart back toward Christ, with the profound desire to follow him. Until I fall again, and the process starts all over again…
xoxo
Ah yes, that is the way, falling and getting up, falling and getting up. And Jesus helping me up all the while, despite my near-constant falling!
This statement really struck me: “Our commitment to Christ is our commitment to a life of transformation and change.” Imagine how different we would be and the world around us if we took that seriously. Thanks for that challenge.
Repentane? Realising how ungrateful I have been in choosing something inferior to the love God offers me.
In theology class, Msgr. Shannon taught us that to re-pent, was to change direction – pent as in pending, I think. That always made sense to me.