Repentance, conversion: Work in progress

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Fr. Randy Timmerman

John the Baptist certainly was not one to mince words.

Just listen: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," or "Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance," and, "I am baptizing you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

John opens the way for us to reach Jesus more easily than we might without his example and advice. John demands repentance and conversion. He expects that we produce evidence of our repentance. John demands that we walk the talk. His words foreshadow the message Jesus brings.

Second Sunday in Advent (Dec. 5, 2004) Is 11:1-10 Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 Rom 15:4-9 Mt 3:1-12

Jesus arrives, proclaiming repentance and the interior call to conversion. His life is one of unity, of reconciliation, of healing the sick, of comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

His opening sermon teaches "blessed are the poor in spirit." We learn that he dines at the home of tax collectors and sinners. He speaks of the joy of leaving the 99 in search of the one lost sheep and the joy of returning home with it upon his shoulders.

Jesus dies offering forgiveness to the thief on the cross and praying for those "who do not know what they are doing."

Each time we gather for Eucharist, the last prayer the priest offers before reception of Holy Communion is "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." The response is "O' Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed." We proclaim our unworthiness, we state publicly that we are not worthy, that we are in need of repentance and yet simultaneously we recognize that we are never worthy to receive the Lord but rather he comes into our lives only through our willingness to acknowledge our need of a savior.

Recently some of our university students helped facilitate a retreat for second graders at St. Peter Parish in Madison. The theme was the Sacrament of Reconciliation. These little ones are getting ready for their first sacramental act of contrition, reconciliation, and forgiveness. After this milestone, they will work on preparation for their First Holy Communion.

One of the retreat leaders was shocked when none of the second graders could admit to a single sin. None had ever told a lie, none ever disobeyed parents, none ever fought with brothers and sisters. These little angels are still too inexperienced in their faith to grasp the message of John the Baptist.

As these children grow in understanding of God's love in the Eucharist, they will grow too in their understanding of and need for forgiveness and God's mercy.

	Reflection questions • Where in my life am I in need of this repentance of which John the Baptist speaks? • How has my experience with repentance grown since I was a child?

But what about us? Is our faith and understanding more mature than those second graders? John the Baptist asks that we embrace the need for repentance. His call, echoed by Jesus, resounds in our hearts throughout our lives. First there is that niggling hint when we are in second grade and someone suggests we are not perfect. Then we grow into the adult realization that we always are in need of repentance and conversion. God promises to be there, ready to carry us if he must, because he seeks harmony with us and is generous enough to forgive our every failing.

Fr. Randy Timmerman is pastor of St. Paul University Catholic Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

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