He, being compassionate,
forgave their wrongdoing and did not destroy them;
and often He restrained His anger and did not stir up all His wrath.
God Restrains His Anger With Repentance – Psalm 78:38-41
But He, being compassionate,
forgave their wrongdoing and did not destroy them;
and often He restrained His anger and did not stir up all His wrath.
So He remembered that they were only flesh,
a wind that passes and does not return.
How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness
and grieved Him in the desert!
Again and again they tempted God,
and pained the Holy One of Israel.
Understanding Psalm 78
Throughout Holy Scripture, we read accounts of God’s children behaving in a manner that deeply upset and grieved Him. But out of His great love, the Lord continuously made things right for them by creating opportunity upon opportunity for repentance. And this cycle between God and mankind continues still today.
Tradition, Holy Scripture, and Church teaching all state that while God is all-merciful, He is also all-just. This means that God will not tolerate (chastises!) unrepentant sin. Even sin that has been repented for, while forgiven, still has consequences attached to it. This confirms that our all-holy and all-just Creator cannot and will not bless sin … but He will forgive it with repentance. Because He loves us so much and because He understands that we are indeed “only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return,” in His compassion, the Lord continues to shower upon us undeserved compassion. Thank you, Jesus!
It is no secret that inhabitants of the world continue today to violently persist in their sin. As noted, while it is true that God will not tolerate it He will forgive it if repentance is present; and every one of us is called to repent of our sins. When we do this, we are not only forgiven but are washed clean and begin anew. What a gift! But what is true repentance? The Bible says that God “will not be mocked,” that a person will surely reap what they sow (Gal 6:7), so what does it mean to be truly repentant?
Real repentance is an honest vow to God to amend one’s ways; to turn away from, to stop or to eliminate doing or taking part in any activity or behavior that is sinful in God’s view (mortal and venial sin). It also means to begin (again) seeking God’s will (that which only leads to freedom) instead of the world’s (that which only leads to enslavement).
A person who is truly repentant desires to be right with God above everything else in their life; and this change of heart allows the person to truly follow Him. In addition, this person will do everything in his/her power to turn from any behavior, relationships or environments that offend God or work contrary to His Law or precepts. Think now for a moment about a relationship in your life that is most dear to you. Would you knowingly and willingly hurt that person? And if you did hurt them, would you not do all that you could to make things right immediately and not offend them again? This is repentance … and this is what we do for those we truly love.
For Meditation
Our God is a loving God. Just like He did for His children of old, He has made a way for us to be reconciled back to Him through the blood of Christ and the grace of repentance. Consequently, it is said that “we love because He first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). Amen! So as you prayerfully meditate on today’s Psalm, repent of your sins and pray for the strength to amend your ways and answer the call to live a life of holiness (Matt 5:48). After you have done this, trust that you are forgiven (because you are!) and pray also for your loved ones who may be in need of God and His forgiveness.
At the conclusion of reading this article, make the sign of the Cross and say three times: “Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
A Prayer of Repentance
Oh Most humane and adorable Jesus,
Your endless grace and mercy flows forth.
Before granting the gift of absolution
to earnest repenters of sinful ways,
You demanded a sacrificial compensation.
For a wrongful act cannot be rectified
until punishment has been accepted.
Yes, for the salvation of my soul, Jesus
You accepted the price of the Cross!
Grant me the grace to remain free of debts,
my heart remaining flawless before You,
Making Your absolution truly worthwhile.
Amen.
Prayer for the Conversion of Sinners
Lord Jesus Christ,
most merciful Savior of the world,
we humbly beseech You,
by Your most Sacred Heart,
that all the sheep who stray out of Your fold
may one day be converted to You,
the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls,
who lives and reigns with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
world without end. Amen.
A Sincere Act of Contrition
O my God,
I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because of Thy just punishments,
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
who art all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more,
and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
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