A time for tears that will be the regret of non-penitents

It always is the warning from time immemorial that we must turn aside from the evil content in life that seems to put a hold on our repentance. John the Baptist stands as the one true prophet that began the quest of repenting from our sins. The words found in Isaiah ring out the message of John the Baptist; “A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way to the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Is 40: 3 - 5).

This narrative reveals more than turning away from sin; in a capsule of truth it is a tribute to our forgiveness when the Son of God enters our world as Savior and prepares the way of forgiveness that we must believe and seek through penance. Then, after centuries in human terms, Christ returns to collect the remnant of his grace on those who absolutely repented and await their call for eternity.

If the mode for gaining mercy came by how much we give in money to the Church, or the constant attendance on Sundays to gain a record of hearing the words of evangelization; neither would satisfy the requirement to say “I am sorry for my sins.” The unfortunate scenario that appears to exist is exactly that; where too many feel that as long as the coffers are full from our sacrifice of monetary gifts there is nothing more we need to accomplish.

No where in scripture will we find a memo stating how much we need to give in order to receive the grace of God and his mercy for our diligence. We need to take care of the Church and its monetary needs as well as those who have little or none of what they need for sustenance in life. That is a mandate on all of us who are blessed with the abilities to give back wealth that many have and more have not. As long as we keep the need for repenting our sins before us then the real comprehensiveness of serving the Lord will place our souls absolutely his.

To place this into perspective, this is what John the Baptist responded with to those whom he baptized: And the crowds asked him of what they were to do. “What then should we do?” He said to them in reply, “whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Even tax collectors and soldiers asked in a similar manner of what they were to do. (Lk 3: 10 - 14). The need to be redeemed might have become too much to place in a selfless thought and forgetting what repentance is all about has corrupted the need to confess our sins and find the mercy of God is always available; if we really want it.

However, the thrust of this discussion is the necessity of understanding what the real meaning of repenting is all about. Somehow our modern approach to God’s mercy is found in how much we can give through selfish mannerisms instead of a personal relationship with the Savior of our souls; Jesus Christ!

Ralph B. Hathaway