Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Intro

There is a certain road our mind, will, soul walks along

two directions: away or back to God

starts ministry is same way as John ‘Repent for the kingdom at hand’

need for repentance for the kingdom

conjure up images of fasting, sackcloth, and ashes

perhaps the image of an angry street corner preacher

what is repentance and why needed?

What it is

meta-noia

literaly change of thought/mind/will

meta (meta morph)

noia mind

translated as repentance or, perhaps more literally, conversion (turn around)

Not metapathos, (change of feelings) but metanoia (change of mind or will)

want feel sorrow, but its about true sorrow (act of mind and will) first

if sorry do not feel sorrow and wished did, you have sorrow

true religion isnt first about feelings

‘making up’, penance, go with it, but not it itself, but fruits of metanoia

If I turn around

going to go back on road over things I passed by when I walked away from God

going go in the reverse order

can’t pass unless pass in the opposite direction

metanoia means intend not going to do again

without that there isnt a real metanoia/repent/conversion

didnt really turn around or change will if still going in the other direction

this why if confess to somethign you intend to continue, not valid

have to have metanoia for confession to work

Why need it?

Need it, as He says, for the kingdom

deepest desire is to be part of this kingdom

to be unified to Good

He paid the price of admission,

made the road and opened it up to all

God judges the heart (will)

Goodness (truth and being itself), judges by the truest part of ourselves

That is Goodness makes Himself present insofar as we present our truest part of ourselves to Him

to present is to turn to him in mind and heart

to turn the mind same meaning as conversion, repentance, metanoia

Therefore, must repent (metanoia) to be in that kingdom

Confession

feel gone too far to make it back?

Like a ride back to the start

If do a good confession

not hide any mortal sin intentionally and list specifically and how many times

intend to not continue to do them

then no sin remains

Because it requires you to mention all mortal sin

greatest guarantees not just taking baby steps in the wrong direction or taking one step back to God and two steps away

Barriers

Enemy often lie:

if you get rid of these sins your life will be boring and hard

your temptations, your appetites, and your feelings are your sins,

rememebr true religion isn’t about feelings but what you CHOOSE to do in thought or deed

we will all have our own special and boring temptations till the day we die, this is not sin for even Christ was tempted

did God reallly tell you you have to confess your sins to another person?

thats too shameful, what will the priest think???

Don’t worry about what I think.

the only thing that ever seperates anyone is not guilt or innocence but merely degrees of guilt

all including self have sinned

even a hedonist at one point in my life

guarantee I will not hold it against you

even if confess mass murder

This world has no mercy but recognizes almost no sins. just see how the world reacts when everyone agrees that someone did something truly wrong.

The Church recognizes many sins, but has absolute mercy for the repentant

no matter what it is you confess it is truly secret

all I want is dead and gone

see, it wishes to cling to us heavily on our back and make itself our new identity

toss it off and you will begin to realize God does give you the strength for true metanoia

Conclusions

Which direction are we walking on the one road?

The kingdom of heaven is at hand

if going wrong way:

Repent

let us change our will/mind

turn around on the only road that ultimately matters

Notes

Me

“repent for the kingdom...”

same words of John Baptist in Chp 3

repent definition/etymology

“do penance” or “repent?”

metanoia

Unrepentance is the only unforgiveable sin

Commentators

starts the same way John did (“repent”)

show same source of message

Fisherman good analogy

nets not bait!

don’t preach to trick, but just cast out the word

casts out word of God, no telling who will get it