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Daily reflections for Lenten Easter, written by Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI.

“Repent and believe in the good news.” These are the first words out of Jesus mouth in Mark’s Gospel, and they’re meant as a summary of the entire gospel. But what do these words mean? Though in English, the word repent is often misunderstood. It seems to imply that we have already done something wrong, regret it, and now commit ourselves to live in a new way.

Repentance, understood in this way, means to live beyond a sinful past. Biblically, this is not quite what is meant in the Gospels. The particular word used for repentance is metanoia. This, means to do an about face, to turn around, to face in an entirely new direction. It takes its root in two Greek words, meta, beyond and nous mind.

Literally, metanoia means to move beyond our present mindset, beyond our present way of seeing things. It is interesting to consider that many of the miracles of Jesus are connected to opening up or otherwise healing someone’s eyes, ears or tongue.

Eyes are opened in order to see more deeply and spiritually. Ears are opened in order to hear things more compassionately. And tongues are loosened in order to praise God more freely and to speak words of reconciliation and to love each other.

To repent is to allow God to open our minds and heal us so that indeed we can turn and face in a completely new direction.