A Call for Sorrow

May 16, 2010

Luke 24:46-53

Today is Ascension Sunday and I've decided to ponder on something that's not commonly associated to this day. Let's ponder on repentance.

Why repentance? Well, from today's Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus said to His disciples:

"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."

And so, from the Ascension onwards, repentance should have been preached in the name of Jesus. Though, it's good that the call has indeed been preached to all nations as we know, the issue is, how many of us Christians really heed this call to repentance?

What is repentance? My answer to this would be that repentance is a feeling of sincere sorrow for the sins one has committed. It is realizing that one has done wrong and desiring a rather urgent reconciliation with Him whom one has betrayed by sinning. And according to Jesus's words quoted above, repentance is for the forgiveness of sins.

A good statement on the role of repentance for the forgiveness of sins can be found in a pamphlet entitled "Preparing for Confession"*. I quote:

"We may say that the only requirement is to have the good will of returning to God lke the prodigal son (Luke 15:17-19) and acknowledging our sins with true sorrow before his representative, the priest (cf. John 20:23)"

Now, what does this call for repentance tell us? That Jesus, as He went back to the Father, wants all of His disciples, including all us Christians by extension, to spread the word that He wants us to also go back to our Father at our life's end; and to do that, we first have to be forgiven; and to be forgiven, we must first repent.

So, repent. And tell others to do the same.

* by Sinag-tala Publishers, Inc. (San Antonio Village, Makati, Philippines)