Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

Lectionary: 415

Pass through the city, through Jerusalem,
and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan
over all the abominations that are practiced within it.
To the others I heard the LORD say:
Pass through the city after him and strike!
Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy!

After hearing the above passage in the writings of Ezekiel, and echoed in Revelation Saint Francis chose the thau (τ) as his signature. He was not illiterate but had never been formally trained to read and write, and the single Greek letter served his purpose very well. 

The sign indicated his willing repentance for his sins. When his enthusiasm for poverty and penance attracted a small band of followers and their spirit became a responsibility to share with neighboring cities, he called his group "Penitents from Assisi." 

Father Mike Schmitz, during his keynote address to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, announced a similar message. 

“If this is going to be a revival, if it’s going to be a real revival, here’s the reality. In the history of Christianity, you can never have a revival without repentance." 

The New Testament gives us Saint John the Baptist. With all due apologies to the Blessed Mother, the Baptist is second only to Jesus in the Gospels. He prepares the way of the Lord by proclaiming "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." 

Penance was also the first word from the mouth of Jesus as he came out of the desert into Judea,

"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Saint Peter also began the work of the Church by reminding the citizens of Jerusalem and the pilgrims that they had demanded the crucifixion of the Risen Savior. When the crowds were horrified by the memory of what they had done, 

"...they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.u
For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.

And finally, in his First Letter, Saint John insists, 

If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

That frank admission must be more than a pious nod of the head and avowal that "I am no saint." Catholics practice penance by auricular confession to a priest. As a confessor, when I hear someone express vague regret for unspecified actions, I ask them, "Can you tell me exactly what sin it was, when, where, why, with whom, and to whom? Did you apologize for that, or offer reparation and atonement? Tell me a story!" And finally, "I have to agree it was a sin."  

Faux pas are not sin; those little misunderstandings that occur continually in human interaction. Not answering a text or phone call, or immediately calling back, is not a sin. Frankly discussing a problem in one's church or society and searching for a way to address it is not gossip. 

Unlike the Fifth Step among the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, confession is not conversation about one's "character defects." That is certainly something worth doing with one's mentor or spiritual director, but confession is about words and deeds. Sinful attitudes and habits, now recognized, demand immediate renunciation. "I'll try harder..." doesn't cut it. 

A passing thought that flits through one's head and leads to nothing is not a sin. As I heard Billy Graham say, "The first glance at a pretty girl is a freebie; it's on God. The second is your own, and you're responsible for it." 

A story of a real sin might include, "I knew it was wrong. I had a choice, I didn't have to do it. I regret it, and I am sorry. I have tried to repair the harm, and I am willing to do more." The story might also tell how we apologized and offered atonement, and were forgiven by the offended party. 

Penance is real; it's not a polite gesture indicating one's membership in the group. "I'm not perfect." is not an admission of guilt. "If I have done any harm, I am sorry." is not an act of penance. "I did it; I am sorry; I regret it deeply; I will not do it again." is better. 

Genuine penance includes the confidence that God does forgive me as I realize my guilt and express my shame for what I have done. Penance remembers the long history of God's people. Sin began with the first human beings, whenever or wherever that wonderful evolutionary moment might have occurred. Ever since the day of Moses, the Lord in his mercy has continually sent prophets to show us our sins, and we have sometimes listened to them. John the Baptist was such a prophet, as was Jesus. 

The Church is speaking frankly to the world about abortion, pollution, and poverty; and people are angry at us for doing so. Pope Francis is speaking prophetically to his Church, and some people are really upset about that. 

The call to penance comes with Good News, and there is no Good News without penance. The Tau worn on one's clothing, like the ashes of Lent, is a sign of penance; and we pray, a protection against the wrath of God.