Repent and Believe
Joel 2:12-18; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Mt
6:1-6,16-18 (Ash Wednesday)
“The Lord takes no pleasure in
the death of the sinner, but desires that he turn from his way and live” Divine Office
Let us fix our attention on the blood of Christ and recognize
how precious it is to God his Father, since it was shed for our salvation and
brought the grace of repentance to all the world. If we review the various ages
of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has offered the
opportunity of repentance to any who were willing to turn to him. When Noah
preached God’s message of repentance, all who listened to him were saved. Jonah
told the Ninevites they were going to be destroyed, but when they repented,
their prayers gained God’s forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved,
even though they were not of God’s people.
Under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the ministers of God’s grace have spoken of
repentance; indeed, the Master of the whole universe himself spoke of
repentance with an oath: As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the death of
the sinner but his repentance. He added this evidence of his goodness: House of
Israel, repent of your wickedness. Tell the sons of my people: If their sins
should reach from earth to heaven, if they are brighter than scarlet and blacker
than sackcloth, you need only turn to me with your whole heart and say,
“Father,” and I will listen to you as a holy people.
In other words,
God wanted all his beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and he
confirmed this desire by his own almighty will. That is why we should obey his
sovereign and glorious will and prayerfully entreat his mercy and kindness. We
should be suppliant before him and turn to his compassion, rejecting empty
works and quarrelling and jealousy which only lead to death.
Brothers, we
should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride and foolish anger.
Rather, we should act in accordance with the Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit
says: The wise man must not glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his
strength nor the rich man in his riches. Rather, let him who glories glory in
the Lord by seeking him and doing what is right and just. Recall especially
what the Lord Jesus said when he taught gentleness and forbearance. Be merciful,
he said, so that you may have mercy shown to you. Forgive, so that you may be
forgiven. As you treat others, so you will be treated. As you give, so you will
receive. As you judge, so you will be judged. As you are kind to others, so you
will be treated kindly. The measure of your giving will be the measure of your
receiving.
Let these commandments and precepts strengthen us to live in humble obedience to his sacred words. As Scripture asks: Whom shall I look upon with favor except the humble, peaceful man who trembles at my words? Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten towards the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning. Let us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Father and Creator of the whole universe, and hold fast to his splendid and transcendent gifts of peace and all his blessings.
From a letter of Pope St Clement I to the
Corinthians
“Repent and do penance. Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit” Divine Office
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