WHAT IS REPENTANCE ?

Ash Wednesday.

What is Repentance?
 

When receiving the Ashes on Ash Wednesday the priest signs with

·         “Remember that you are dust and unto dust you will return’ or

·         Repent and believe the Good news.

As I received the ashes today at Mass, the priest said to me ‘Repent and Believe the Good news’.  As there quite a number of people including school children receiving the Ashes, I had some time to think and reflect.  I asked myself what really is Repentance.   I had some thoughts obviously, but later in the afternoon, I decided to delve deeper into the word and its implications for myself.  These are some thoughts which emerged from my reflection and research. 

What is Repentance.

 

There are a number of aspects to Repentance.

1.Repentance is to recognise our own wrong doing and humbly denying oneself to turn around and face the One we have wronged.  It is regretting our sins and acknowledging them before God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

2. Repentance is to rearrange our entire way of thinking, feeling and being in order to forsake that which is wrong.

3.Repentance means more than saying sorry.  It means to show transformation by returning to what is right and pure and returning to innocence. It means returning to our baptismal right as a son/daughter of God. We must have faith to want to return to God and know that God will see our move, however tiny it might be and be there to meet us where we are at.  Through the Sacrament, we will be restored.

4.Repentance means to return to the plan of God- that is, to live with Him, consult with Him, fellowship with Him and obeying Him, In other words we put God first in our lives and have a deep intimate relationship with Him.

 

5. Repentance involves showing remorse for what we have done and saying sorry but if we are to be sincere in that act of contrition, then we also need to commit to a new path in order to take the path of correct to receive true freedom.

 

During the Lenten season the church provides us with the opportunity to review our lives, our sinfulness, our need for God to be first place and encourages us to make that turn back to God and walk a new path of transformation. We have 40 days to be serious about our desire to change and walk the path of holiness.

Of course we can walk this path the whole year every day.  However Lent provides us with the opportunity to be focused on this transformation.

 

Will we choose to walk a new path, to claim again your inheritance of being a son/daughter of God and to Repent and believe the Good News.

 

 

Commandment to Love Series: Accepting the present

COMMANDMENT TO LOVE SERIES:

Accepting the present

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week and keep the commandment to love. In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

 

So my eighth intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 

 This week I will willingly accept whatever is present.

 

 

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

·         spend some prayerful reflection time with God to thank God for my past, my present and my future, all of which depend on Him.

·         Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least one extra positive each day.

·         Affirm each day that I am able to accept whatever is present because it is the loving thing to do for myself.

·         write down any thoughts that I have both positive and negative about accepting the present. What are the challenges for me to achieve this goal? 

·         Seek God's forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation for the times I have not accepted the gift of the present and worried about both past and future. How does the issue of trust impact on me accepting the present?

·         Thank God for the times I have been able to accept the present since it is only possible because God has made it so.

 

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this eighth intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Realizing that I need to accept whatever is present is vital as it helps me stay focused on the here and now and stops me from worrying needlessly about the past or future. Jesus has told me in scripture:

 "Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
 
And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?

 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." (Mt 6:25-34)

 

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself’ by accepting whatever is present.

 

 

The commandment to Love Series: Opportunity to laugh

COMMANDMENT TO LOVE SERIES:

Opportunity to laugh

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week and keep the commandment to love. In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

 So, my seventh intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 

This week I will take every opportunity to laugh with myself.

 

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first

• spend some prayerful reflection time with God to consider how God  sees humour and laughter. 
• Thank God for the times I have been able to see the funny, light-  hearted and frivolous me since it is only possible because God has made it so.
• I will smile within myself at least 3 times each day and feel the smile of  Jesus greeting me.
• Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add  at least one extra positive each day.
• Affirm each day that I am able to laugh with myself because laughter is medicinal and good for both body and soul.  it is the loving thing to do  for myself.
• write down any opinions that I have both positive and negative about laughter and laughing with myself. You will notice that I say 'with myself'   not 'at myself'    
• Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this seventh intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting that I need to be able to laugh with myself  shows that I have the desire to love myself more fully, and in loving myself I will in turn appreciate the humour, and lighthearted nature of other people.

 

 Forgive me for one moment for getting on a hobby horse here.  A joke used to be when all concerned saw the funny side and did not hurt anyone in the process.  It seems to me that this definition of good manners in the humour sphere has changed for the worse.  There is a TV programme that is supposed to be funny, and other people seem to think it is hilarious. Usually, I do not find anything funny in it at all. I find it sad that people think it is funny other people having some type of misfortune.

 Now off my hobby horse....

 

I make the distinction of laughing with myself compared to laughing at myself.  Laughing at myself can have its place at times, but it can also be a destructive, negative and unloving way of supporting oneself. In my view, laughing at myself is unhelpful from a emotional and spiritual perspective. since it is a form of derision.  However, laughing with myself is accepting myself as I am and enjoying my company.

 

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself' by taking the opportunity to enjoy our own company and have a smile/laugh with oneself during this coming week.

 

 

Commandment to Love Series: Practice patience, kindness and gentleness to myself

COMMANDMENT TO LOVE SERIES.

 

Practice patience, kindness and gentleness to myself
 

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week and keep the commandment to love.

 

In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

 

So my sixth intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 

 This week I will practice being patient, kind and gentle with myself.

 

 

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

• spend some prayerful reflection time with God to consider how God sees patience, kindness and gentleness. I will consult with scripture as a special guide.
• Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least one extra positive each day.
• Affirm each day that I am able to be patient, kind and gentle with myself because it is the loving thing to do for myself.
• write down any opinions that I have both positive and negative about patience, kindness and gentleness 
• Seek God's forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation for the times I have not been patient, kind and gentle with myself.
• Thank God for the times I have been patient, kind and gentle with myself since it is only possible because God has made it so.

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this sixth intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting that I need to be patient, kind and gentle with myself shows that I have the desire to love myself more fully, and in loving myself I will in turn be patient, kind and gentle with others.   

 

Remembering that I desire to be perfect just as my Heavenly Father is perfect is a worthwhile goal. I also need to be realistic and remember that I am in the process and at times, I fail to love myself as God loves me. When I fail to love myself, I need to explore why this is so, but I need to remember God loves me. He sees and knows me and loves me for who I am. God is ready to forgive me, but am I ready to forgive myself?

 

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself’ by practising to be patient, kind and gentle with ourselves.

 

Let God who is patience, kindness and gentleness be our teacher.

 

 

 

Commandment to Love Series: The things I have done

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week and keep the commandment to love.  

In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish  a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

 

So, my fifth intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 

 This week I will remember that as an ever loving, joyful soul, I am not the things I have done.

 

 

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

·          spend some prayerful reflection time with God to consider what I have done
      and how God sees me.

·          Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least
       one extra positive each day.

·          Affirm each day that I am a child of God and that I am an loving, joyful soul. I
      am not the the things I have done regardless whether they are good or not..

·          write down any opinions that I have both positive and negative about the things
      I have done. Write down at least 3 possible course of action for each positive
      and negative thing I have done.

·          Examine my conscience to review whether there is real or false guilt related to
      the things of I have done list.

·         Seek God's forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation for the things I know that
       were sinful and inappropriate.

·      Thank God for the things I have done that are positive, since it is only possible
     because God has made it so.

 

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this fifth intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting that I have done both positive and negative things in my life is vital to acceptance. I need to also rid myself of false guilt where this has occurred and repent through the sacrament of reconciliation of the things, I have done that are not pleasing to God and where true guilt is residing.  

 

Remembering that I am not the things I have done however laudable they may be, nor am I the things I have done however sinful they may be.  God is ready to forgive me. I need also to forgive myself, since forgiving myself is part of loving myself.  I also need to be honest with myself since this truth will set me free. Being aware that humanity is prone to sin, since it is a consequence of original sin, can be freeing. However, I need to be honest about this also, and not use it as an excuse for the things I have done. You may also wish to refer to my other practical theology posts written in 2010 which may assist you in becoming all that God desires for you.

 

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself’ by accepting I am not the things I have done.  Let us take corrective action where that is necessary to gain a more loving and accepting view and healthy respect for myself.

 

 

 

The Commandment to Love Series: My body

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week and keep the commandment to love.

 

In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

 

So, my fourth intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 

 This week I will remember that as an ever loving, joyful soul, I am not my body.

 

 

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

·          spend some time in prayerful reflection on thanking God for my soul and my                   body. 

·              Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least
         one extra positive each day.

·              Affirm each day that I am a child of God and that I am an loving, joyful soul my
         soul is the most important part of my being, since when it leaves the body, my
         soul will live with God for ever. To live with God for ever is my goal.

·              write down any opinions that I have both positive and negative about my body.
        Take this list into my prayer time to ask for God's guidance.

·             Examine my relationship to my body, and where there is a need for a review of
        diet, exercise and sleep routines, take positive action towards these aspects to
        gain a healthy respect of myself in my body.

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this fourth intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting my body as part of my overall being is important, since I want to gain a healthy respect for my body.   

 

Remembering that my body is an outward manifestation of who I am motivates me to take corrective action  with regard my diet, exercise and sleep routines.  However, I am not nor desire to be a diet or exercise addict, since this is not who I am.  I wish to integrate appropriate diet, exercise and sleep routines suited to my vocation and lifestyle.  I am  a super model since God made me both soul and body.

 

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself'  by accepting our bodies, rather than being obsessed or desiring something unrealistic.Let us take corrective action where that is necessary for the healthy respect of our body and for our self esteem.

We are all super models- God made us in His own image and likeness.

 

The Commandment to Love Series: Others opinions and my own

The Commandment to Love Series:

 

Others opinions and my own.

 

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week and keep the commandment to love.

In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

So, my third intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 This week I will not hold others opinions above my own.

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

·                     spend some time in prayerful reflection on why and when my opinions in my mind do not count in my life. 

·                     Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least one extra positive each day.

·                     Affirm each day that I am a child of God and remind myself that God does not have favourites. In His eyes, I am equal to every other person in the world.

·                     write down any opinions that others hold and explore the similarities and differences that their point of view express as well as my own.

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this third intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting that my opinion is valuable and is equal in God's sight to others  gives me freedom to love myself for who I really am- a child of God.   

Holding my opinion in a respectful way  is not putting myself on a pedestal.  It is accepting my integral part of me.  Holding other peoples opinions above my own is disrespectful of myself . I can live and let live since we are all equal in God's sight. 

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself'  so that we can hear Jesus speak the truth in our hearts. We can always rely on Jesus to tell us the truth and we no longer have to believe the lies that we tell ourselves.

The Commandment to Love Series: Self Criticism and Negative self talk.

THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE SERIES:

Self-Criticism and Negative self-talk.

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week.

Jesus' commandment to love reads as follows:

And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself." [Luke 10:27]

or in Matthew 19:19: Honour your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 

In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

So, my second intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 This week I will withhold any self-criticisms or negative self-talk.

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

·                     spend some time in prayerful reflection on what triggers self-criticism and negative self-talk in my life. 

·                     Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least one extra positive each day.

·                     Counter attack any self-criticism and negative self-talk with positive input from my list.

·                     write down any negative talk that emerges during the week to help identify any patterns and underlying cause.

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this second intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting self-criticism and negative self-talk without analysis is not accepting the truth about myself.  Yes, I make mistakes, I sin and I am human. Learning the balance and the art of the constructive and truthful criticism of myself is healthy, but continual self-criticism and negative self-talk is not. 

Self-criticism and negative self-talk is like a radio or being placed on hold on the telephone.  They can drown out our own thoughts and do not give Jesus a chance to speak to me. in the quietness of my heart.  Many people allow the noise and the distraction to continue because they fear the quietness of their conscience.  

Join me this week in turning down the volume and switch the negative self-talk radio off completely.  

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself’ so that we can hear Jesus speak the truth in our hearts. We can always rely on Jesus to tell us the truth and we no longer have to believe the lies that we tell ourselves.