Day 19: A Change of Mind

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the word “repent” several times. We will continue to hear this word often this Lent, as we did on Ash Wednesday, when we may have been instructed to “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

I often thought of repent as a form of confession and guilt, acknowledging my errors and seeking forgiveness. There was a heaviness to the word.

God knows, as fathers, we make many mistakes, despite our best intentions, and we can get caught in a feeling of regret and sadness. However, I am not sure this is what Jesus is asking of us.

The greek translation of repent is “a change of mind.” This is different than the image of one on their knees seeking forgiveness. Rather, it is a turn around in direction, seeing with different eyes.

It carries hope in this definition, leading us to follow the way of Jesus which is filled with hope, healing, and love.

And isn’t this what Lent is about?

Let’s accept our humanity, try, as Blessed Frederic Ozanam said, to “be a little better and do a little good,” as we follow the way of Jesus.