“Repent”

That was the theme of this weeks’ sermon. But what does it mean? What am I supposed to be repenting? What did I do? Or what didn’t I do? Maybe it was something I should have done. As I listened to Father Mike I couldn’t help but wonder. How does repentance affect me as a Catholic man and husband in today’s world? And just how am I supposed to go about repenting anyway? Where do I begin? So, I looked it up. (repent: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life. 2. a : to feel regret or contrition. b: to be remorseful) Okay, I get it. But isn’t that what confession is for? Maybe that isn’t enough or maybe that’s just the beginning. Have there been times when I saw someone that needed a smile or a hand and I turned away? Did I sit back and watch TV while the rest of my family worked around the house, made the meals or cleaned up?

I’ve decided that maybe the little things in life add up as much as those things we think are real issues. I’ve also decided that the things that don’t necessarily fall under “going to confession” may be just as important as those that do. And that for me, repentance is as much about things I have failed to do as it is about things I did wrong. And most of all, for me repentance isn’t something that is done when I walk out of the confessional. It is something I have to work on all the time.

What is repentance about for you? And how do you think you can do a better job at repenting?