Deeper Repentance

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 478 – Saturday, October 26, 2019

There’s a thought-provoking line from Saint John of the Cross.  He writes, “Repent of your sins, but do not regret them, for your sins can teach you who you are.”  In today’s Gospel, Jesus used the word “repent” a lot.  I think that maybe he’s calling us to the deeper meaning of that word.  Repent.  Rethink.  Pensar.  To think, like, “pensive.”  That’s the call of the Gospel.  To think out what we’re doing; how we’re doing it; why we’re doing it.  To think deeply.  “Repent of your sins, but do not regret them, for your sins can teach you who you are.”  Now that’s deep repentance.