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Showing posts from March, 2011

Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand!

Mea Culpa. I ask your forgiveness, dear readers.  I have been guilty of spreading a misunderstanding. I'm very fond of saying that the word 'repent' comes from the Latin prefix re- meaning again, and peneso, meaning to think, and that it means that we are called to think again.  I've expounded on this theme at some length in various places. I'm quite wrong. 'Repent' comes from the latin Re- meaning again, and poenitere , meaning "be penitent" or "be sorry".  It is directly related to 'penal', meaning punishment.  So, not a call to examine your life, beyond the call that you've really messed up, and you need to get yourself right with God.  You've broken the rules, and you need to accept your punishment with a glad heart for the correction.  Mea Culpa, my fault. And yet, I'm not wrong. When I saw this, I was of course mightily embarrassed. And I was highly curious, because I'm a Johannite, and as such