Repentance

What Is Repentance? The dictionary gives its meaning as ‘Feeling Sorrow for one’s Actions,’ etc. But Just to feel Sorrow or Being Sorry is Not Enough. A Positive and Concerted Effort has to be made to bring about Changes in that regard. That Alone would be True Repentance.

But Why Repentance and What Repentance? Are We Such Sinners?! 

The Problem is that We have been brought up to Think and to Believe, in most cases, that Sexual misdemeanour’s are the First Sins. We might then think of Murder and Killings, and think that since We do Not do any of these, and Just a little may be of Stealing and Lying, We are Not really sinning! 🙂

This is not a new situation. We find the Question in the Book of Jeremiah: “What IS our Sin?” had asked the People. (16:10).

*******

But First, WHAT IS SIN?

SIN IS CONSCIOUSLY AND WILFULLY HURTING ANOTHER.

For More on this subject, namely, What is Sin, Please click here (post under preparation).

That said,

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO REPENT?! WHAT IS OUR SIN?

Anybody and Everybody who wants to Grow in Spiritual Life has to learn to Remove ALL that would be Hurting one’s Neighbour, and as such, Dis-Pleasing to the Lord. I could give You a Whole list of suggestions in this regard. For now, let us Concentrate on One point: Our Eternal APATHY. Because Apathy is a Major, and Very Grievous Sin.

Jesus had Not been THIRSTY on the Cross Alone.

Jesus, Through the Ages, has been Hungry, and Thirsty, and Homeless.

We Forget that These Defeated Eyes belong to Christ Jesus Himself Who still walks our streets Today. 

*******

And We get Oh-So-Tired of seeing such pictures, news, views and statements, that We enter into Apathy!

*******

Jesus gave the Parable of the Good Samaritan, NOT to tell us Who Actually is Our Neighbour, but to Show — TO WHOM ALL WE HAVE TO BE THE NEIGHBOUR. (Luke 10:25-37).

• The Scribe’s question had actually been: Whom (All) am I supposed to love? Take care of? Treat as my Neighbour, and Mine? [Verse 29].
• Jesus ends up by asking: Who Proved to be the Real Neighbour to the Injured Man?! [Verse 36].

The Better, and the REAL name of the parable should be: The Bad Priest and Levite! 

One Really has to Appreciate the Artist of this picture, who has brought out Superbly, through the Eyes, the Face and Body language of the ‘priest’ in the foreground, the Superior and Supercilious mind-set of the Upper and Middle Classes!

Do Not his Eyes say: “Do You Seriously and Truly Expect me to Stop-by and Help You?” Image courtesy: dailyedify.com

The Very Same thing happens in Our lives too many times. Apathy has become So Well Hidden these days, that it is Quite Difficult to Recognize it. For Example:

• When I wrote something on Poverty and added the picture of some Bread in that, Somebody asked for the Recipe of that Bread in the comments section!
• Whatever piece of News We hear, whether it be Rape, Gang Rape, Murder of Children, Crass Injustice, Billions of Tax payer money Wasted, …We Quickly Turn Our Minds to Other things.
• You Spend Endless Hours in preparing an Important Post. People Simply Jump over it. And give a ‘Like’ to a Two-penny-worth post which You had put Just to Smile!
• People Join a ‘Religious Congregation;’ and Spend their Time in going around the World on Tours, and Posting pictures of their Extended ‘Picnics.’
• When I was Young, I used to Yearn for Forums where I could Raise my voice over many issues. Today We have that, Easily, in Facebook, the Twitter, etc. But People use these Platforms for Absolutely Inane, Frivolous, Crass and Childish matters. They do not even (Dare to) give Likes, or Give a Share to the Thoughts.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan, or in my words – The Bad Priest and Levite, had been a Lesson Not on Who my Neighbour is, but, Am I being a Good Neighbour?

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE VERY GOOD NEIGHBOURS TO EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL ON EARTH.

IF WE FAIL IN THIS, THAT IS APATHY, AND WE SIN.

APATHY IS OUR SIN. WE NEED TO REPENT ON THIS.

Repentance would mean Becoming Concerned, Caring Individuals. This does NOT mean putting some money in the Alms box. It means becoming Involved in making the World a Better Place for the Have-Nots. On a 24×7, Year-Long basis. Tough? Christ did not say it would be Easy. But it is Possible. And NEEDS to be done, If We want Peace of Mind, and If We want to Celebrate Lent in a Meaningful manner.