March 11, 2015

“At the moment when a man goes astray, if he says, 'I have sinned,' immediately the sin ceases.”
Abba Poemen

While a good thought, I think it's more complicated than that.  If, in the middle of an armed robbery, the robber recognizes he is sinning yet continues in the act of robbery, simply saying, “I have sinned” doesn't immediately end the sin he is continuing to commit.  The same could be said for any number of other sins:  making idols of that which are not God; failing to respect the dignity of other people and/or the environment; being negligent in prayer; adultery; lying; theft; anger; envy; and the list goes on.

Repentance is a multi-step process that is more complicated than simply saying, “I have sinned.”

First, we must recognize that we are even sinning.  Oh, the big ones are obvious – murder, adultery, stealing, lying.  But what about others that maybe aren't so obvious?  Do we recognize that we are sinning then?  It's been said that the most broken of the 10 Commandments is Number 4 – Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.  How do we know we are sinning?  Use the mother/grandmother test.  In other words, if mom or grandma wouldn't approve, maybe you should rethink what you are doing.

Second, we need to actually repent of our actions.  Once we've recognized that we have committed a sin, we need to confess that sin to God and ask for forgiveness.  This isn't the modern, “I'm sorry you were offended; you should forgive me” tripe that has become so common.  This is the honest, “I'm sorry I hurt you; I humbly ask your forgiveness” kind.  As the introduction to the Confession in Rite One says, “Ye who do truly and earnestly repent of your sins . . .”

Finally, there is the desire to actually stop doing what we are doing and change our behavior.  To continue with the last sentence from above, “ . . . and intend to lead a new life.”  This is obviously the most difficult aspect of the process because we keep sinning.  Liars keep lying, thieves keep stealing, whatevers keep whatevering.  We are human and we occasionally and consistently stumble into sin.  But once we recognize that sin, once we repent and confess that sin, are we willing to do the hard work of living differently?  That's the challenge.

Abba Poemen gives us a good place to start when we have gone astray:  immediately recognize that we have strayed and confess that particular sin without delay and without excuse.  Following that, we would do well to remember both the Ash Wednesday liturgy and the Reconciliation liturgy.

On Ash Wednesday we are invited to the observance of a holy Lent through, among other things, self-examination and repentance.  On Ash Wednesday we are invited to make a right beginning of repentance.  As we move through Lent, remember that repentance is a multi-step process.

The Dismissal for Form Two of The Reconciliation of a Penitent proclaims, “Now there is rejoicing in heaven; for you were lost, and are found; you were dead, and are now alive in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Go (or abide) in peace.  The Lord has put away all your sins.”

As we move through Lent, remember that the goal is not to make us sinners miserable.  The goal is to remember that God rejoices at our return and our move from death to life.

Amen.