Preaching Repentance in His name

Third Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 3:13-15,17-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48

At the center of today’s liturgy of the word is the proclamation of “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 24:47). This is the comission of the risen Jesus to the Church. That is also the content of Saint Peter’s sermon in the first reading. First, he shows the sin of the people. They “denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to” them (Acts 3:14). Then he calls them to conversion: “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3: 19).

Sin is a terrible tragedy. God created man upright and for good works, but man willingly turned away from uprightness towards wickedness. Sin, like a disease, brought death upon the face of the earth and destroys life within us. “Sin then is, a fearful evil, but not incurable; fearful for him who clings to it, but easy of cure for him who by repentance puts it from him” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem). Therefore, “Christ who died for all men desires that in his Church the gates of forgiveness should always be open to anyone who turns away from sin” (CCC, 982).

Someone will say: ‘I have committed many sins in my life. Can there still be a chance for me to be set free?’ “There is no one, however wicked and guilty, who may not confidently hope for forgiveness, provided his repentance is honest” (Roman Catechism in CCC, 982). God is rich in mercy, therefore “though your sins may be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Is 1:18). Say like David, “I will confess my transgressions,” and the Lord will forgive your sins (Psalm 32: 5). A great example of this is Bartolo Longo (1841-1926). He was an Italian, raised in a Catholic family who, in his youth, left the Church and became a priest in a satanic cult. However, on October 26, 1980, Pope Saint John Paul II proclaimed him blessed. How did it happen? One day, Bartolo met a priest who assured him that God’s mercy is greater than his sins. Blessed Bartolo Longo, after his conversion, became an apostle of the Holy Rosary.

The Holy Scriptures testify to God merciful love for us. What did God do after Adam’s sin? He promised him a Savior (Genesis 3:15). Then, in the days of Moses, God forgave Aaron and the entire people the sin of idolatry (Exodus 32:32), and in the time of Joshua, he took pity on the harlot Rahab, for she recognized the God of Israel (Joshua 2: 9-13). David, the greatest king of Israel, was forgiven the sin of adultery and striking down Uriah with the swords of the Ammonites, because he acknowledged his guilt (2 Sam. 11: 1-12:13). Manasseh, the greatest sinner among the kings of Judah, was also forgiven his terrible sins, when in Babylonian captivity he humbled himself and begged for God’s mercy (2 Chronicles 33: 1-20).

Repentance has great power. Saint Peter, who in today’s sermon calls to repentance, knew it from experience. Did he not deny his Lord three times? And yet the tears of repentance blotted his sin away. Announcing the news of Christ’s resurrection the angel said to the women: “Go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He [the risen Jesus] is going ahead of you into Galilee” (Mk 16:7). How true are the words of apostle John: “My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins and not for our sins only, but also for those of the whole world “(1 John 2: 1-2). Amen.

以祂的名宣讲悔改

复活期第三主日

今日圣道礼仪的主题是宣讲“悔改，以得罪之赦”（路24:47）。这是复活的耶稣委托给教会的使命。这也是读经一中圣伯多禄的讲道内容。首先，他显示了人的罪恶。他们“否认了那圣而且义的人，竟要求把杀人犯恩赐给”他们（宗3:14）。然后他呼吁他们悔改：“你们悔改，并回心转意吧！好消除你们的罪过”（宗3:19）。

罪，能酿成可怕的悲剧。天主创造了人，要人正直且行善，然而，人却甘愿背离正直，转向邪恶。罪，像一种疾病，将死亡带到世界上，破坏我们内在的生命。“罪是一种可怕的恶，但不是无药可救；为依附于它的人才是可怕的；但为悔改者而言，是易于治愈的”（耶路撒冷的St. Cyril）。因此，“基督为所有的人而死，祂愿意宽恕之门在教会内时常为那些悔改的人敞开”（《天主教教理》，982）。

有人会说：“我一生犯了许多罪。我还能有机会获得自由吗？”“任何人，无论如何罪大恶极，只要真诚悔改，都应满怀信任地，期望得到宽恕。”（《天主教教理》，982）。天主富于仁慈，因此“你们的罪虽似朱红，将变成雪一样的洁白”（依1:18）。像达味那样说：“我要承认我的过犯，”上主必会宽赦你的罪债（咏32:5）。福巴托洛·隆戈（Bartolo Longo 1841-1926）就是一个很好的例子。他是一个意大利人，生长在一个天主教家庭，青年时他离开教会，而成为一个邪教组织的长老。然而，1980年10月26日，圣若望·保禄二世教宗为他列了真福品。怎么会这样呢？有一天，福巴托洛·隆戈遇见了一位神父，这位神父向他保证，天主的仁慈大过他的罪。真福巴托洛·隆戈悔改皈依后，成为神圣玫瑰（经）的宗徒。

圣经证明天主对我们的慈爱。在亚当犯罪后，天主做了什么？祂许诺给他一位救主（创3:15）。然后，在梅瑟时代，天主宽恕了亚郎及全体人民所犯的偶像崇拜罪（出32:32）；在若苏厄时代，天主怜悯了妓女辣哈布，因为她认出了以色列的天主（苏2:9-13）。以色列最伟大的国王达味犯了邪淫罪，并借阿孟人的剑杀死了乌黎雅，然而他得蒙宽恕，因为他承认了自己的罪过（撒下11:1-12:13）。默纳舍是犹大诸王中的大罪人，他在巴比伦被掳时期谦卑自下，乞求天主的怜悯（编下33:1-20），因而他的罪也得蒙赦免。

悔改具有威力。在今日讲道中呼吁悔改的圣伯多禄，就从经验中得知这一点。他不是三次否认了他的主吗？然而，他悔改的泪水涤除了他的罪污。宣告基督复活的天使对妇女们说：“你们去，告诉他的门徒和伯多禄说：他（复活的耶稣）在你们以先往加里肋亚去”（谷16:7）。若望以下的话又是多么真实！他说：“我的孩子们，我给你们写这些事，是为叫你们不犯罪；但是，谁若犯了罪，我们在父那里有正义的耶稣基督作护慰者。祂自己就是赎罪祭，赎我们的罪过，不但赎我们的，而且也赎全世界的罪过”（若一2:1-2）。阿们！