FRUITFUL REPENTANCE

Change today and let tomorrow find you a better person. We, in our perversity, want God to be merciful to us without being just. But towards our enemies, we want Him to be just without being merciful. 

God is both; He practices both. His mercy is just and His justice is merciful. He is both just and merciful.

He shows His mercy by sparing the sinner now and forgiving him when he is repentant. He shows His justice by appointing a day of judgment wherein He will give each what he deserves. Do you really think He will give to those who turn away what He will give to those who go to Him? Does it seem just that Judas should be put in the same place as Peter? Well, yes, he too would be put there if he corrected himself. But he despaired of pardon and preferred to put a rope around his neck rather than beg for the king's clemency.

Let us all think about our own sins, and amend them now, while there is still time. Let us have fruitful sorrow, not sterile repentance.

St. Augustine (Sermo 22, 5-6)

(01-22-03)