Repentance

The fathers tell us that to be aware of our sin is a gift from heaven greater than a vision of angels.

Archimandrite Sophrony

LORD, IN THIS HOLY SEASON,
BE MERCIFUL TO US!
GIVE US THE GRACE TO WEEP FROM OUR HEARTS ALWAYS BEFORE YOU,
WASHING AWAY THE POLLUTION OF OUR SOULS;
GROWING EVER MORE OBEDIENT TO YOUR COMMANDS,
THAT IN OUR FASTING WE MAY TRULY PLEASE YOU!
AT THE PRAYERS OF YOUR APOSTLES WHO BROUGHT THE WORLD SALVATION,
GRANT US ALL TO SEE YOUR HOLY PASSION!
O LORD, GLORY TO YOU!

Repentance begins when we see our sins – or at least when we begin to see them. When we discover what we are in our essence as the icon of God, when we begin to see true God in Christ, then we begin to repent for we begin to see how vast is the abyss between what we have made of ourselves and what we are. Or we pull back from the abyss of our souls and we deny ourselves the sweetness of repentance.

Open to me the gates of repentance.