A Word about Repentance from St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco

Repentance means changing one's mindset and disposition, changing one's thinking and the whole internal person. Repentance means analyzing your worldview and changing your lifestyle. How can one attain changing him or herself? Imagine, you are in a dark room looking around, examining your surroundings. In the dark, you are not able to see everything that's in the room and can not even imagine what is there because it is so dark. Many things appear to be different from how they are in real life. You have to move around carefully since you do not see the obstacles. And then light enters the room and all of a sudden you can see everything and start moving freely. The same happens in our spiritual life. When we are deep in sin and our mind is occupied with wordly cares we stop being aware of the dirt that is in us! So much sin and so many lies! Some actions that we thought were good turn out to be the opposite. We begin to clearly see wthat we are doing something wrong and it becomes clear which path to take. If we realize our spiritual poverty, our sinfulness, we will desire from our whole heart to be changed and then we become close to salvation. From the bottom of your heart cry out to God: "Have mercy on me of Lord according to Your mercy!" "Forgive me and save me!" "Let me see my transgressions and not just my brother!" When it is lent, let us forgive each other all offenses and hurts. Let everyone hear the words of the Gospel: "If you forgive men transgressions, so will your Father in Heaven forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours!" Matthew 6 -14:15.