Sinners and Penitents

A man came into the Catholic Charities food pantry recently and asked about joining a church. He said he was a sinner and wanted to “get right with God.” His big motivation seemed to be that his mother had recently died and he wanted to see her again in heaven.

I thought of the many ways God draws people to repentance. St. Paul was knocked off a horse and many responded to John the Baptist's call to epent and be baptized. People often ask for a priest or minister on their death bed and some who receive a diagnosis of a terminal illness decide to make peace with God.

Joining a church might provide the support and inspiration a person needs to turn his/her life around. But it’s not a sure thing. The person may need to be reconciled with a family member, or they may require help to learn self-control or to heal past traumas,  or they may have to sever a relationship that is leading them astray. Humans are very complicated individuals and making changes is one of the biggest challenges they face.

There are lots of self-help books, but they rarely motivate us to make permanent changes in our lives. They may help for a while, but then we usually fall into the old patterns again. That is why Alcoholics Anonymous holds weekly meetings and recommends having a “buddy” to call when one is tempted to return to past addictions. 

We have the examples of saints who turned their lives around. St. Paul is a classic example. He changed from a man who persecuted Christians into a strong proclaimer of the gospel. St. Augustine turned from a life of sin to become a renowned bishop of the Church. Most of us are just ordinary sinners who strive each day to overcome our weaknesses and grow in virtue. Each day we begin our journey anew.