Heal By Repentance

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance (Lk.3, 8)

In the Holy days of fasting Church calls us for repentance and prayer, confession of our sins and communion of Holy Gifts. Doing all these with a fear of God we must remember, that repentance, fasting and prayer must bring forth a fruit in our souls and in our lives; otherwise we will be like a dead tree that did not receive a life giving juice. God sais: “Return ye, backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings” (Jer.3, 22). Return in your heart, return completely, truthfully, and I won’t reproach you, won’t judge you, no. I will heal your backslidings.

God, preserve us from fruitless repentance, from repentance, which is in feelings only, but not in actions, and by which we often get fooled. The Pharaoh was repenting like that – every minute, outwardly – and then did the same, and his heart was getting harder and harder. Many still have the same repentance – they will repent their sins for a minute and then return back to them, not noticing how their conscience hardens!

Apostle Peter had a different repentance. He lamented his sin greatly and never did it again. The protocol son had a different repentance. He was not only missing his father’s home, but got up and went to his Father and came to Him. What good would it make to him to stay in a foreign land and keep saying “I’ve sinned, Father” and not move from there? He would’ve died from starvation like that. Our Lord does not say to repent in words and that’s enough! He sais: “Return ye, backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings”. Let us return so that He would heal us. He won’t heal us if we don’t come to Him; He’ll heal those only who return to Him. “Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God” (Jer.3, 22)

(Translated by Tatiana Rozzell from “Every Day is a Gift from God. Diaries of an Orthodox Priest”, author unknown)