“The way to celestial glory is purity and sanctity, which in this corrupt state of your nature consist in a strict bridling and mortification of your passions.”
- Christ, per Cornelius a Lapide
Much has been said about the problem of ‘repentance’ or ‘conversion’ in this day and age. Many of these utterances have been more or less confused, because their authors have not had a clear and distinct image of the matter. Therefore it is needful that the meanings of the concept and its pendant, penitence, are made clear.
The words share a source, and their meanings should be the same, but in the course of history – alas – there arises always some confusion which requires a further explication of formerly more intuitively understood concepts. This source is the Latin penitere – regret, repent, cause to repent. Its root is either paene – almost, nearly – or an earlier form expressing pain or hurt. The basic meaning either way is a certain lack which is recognised. There is also still the word penance, but here we will treat it merely as a doublet of penitence. In the Greek metanoia is often used – a changing of the mind let us say. But we find also words such as metamellomai – to regret. The former is used the most often, and the second is also used to for example indicate the unfruitful regret of Judas the traitor. Interesting here is the prefix meta- and its possible higher meanings. But here it will suffice that it merely indicates a change, the first of the mind, the second of the care taken.
Here already we see the beginnings of a double establishment of the same act. On the one hand there is the change of the mind, the turning of the mind from darkness to light, so that it may be enlightened by the Sol Justitia; on the other hand we have the ‘taking care’, the penance which is undertaken as a self-evident consequence and manifestation on a lower domain (namely the domain of the will and deed as opposed to the mind or intellect). A change of heart (the heart understood as primarily the seat of the intellect, and only secondarily as of affections, as the ancient Hebrews also understood it) logically leads to a change of behaviour.
Yet, the confusion which we have spoken of arises when in practice this logical relation is assumed to be not only immediately logically but also immediately really present. Thus there are those who teach that only the change of mind (expressed as ‘conversion’ or simply ‘faith’) is necessary for the salvation (that is, the healing and preserving) of the soul, as the change in will and deed is, as we must admit to be true, already principally contained within it. But experience teaches that this does not always manifest. For we find many of those who are supposed to be ‘converted’ and ‘saved’ yet have a supremely damaged soul and clouded mind. This alone should make evident that those who make of salvation such a cheap but surprisingly enduring good are condemned to obscurity. This then is also the meaning of the words of Scripture which say that it is faith alone that saves, but that faith without works is dead. Faith in the sense of repentance is a necessary requisite and principally contains all that is necessary for salvation in the sense in which we just used it, but a faith wherein this potential is not worked out in fear and trembling must be declared ineffective, dead and useless, and only fit to be burned.
Moreover, there are two things which are really dangerous for the soul which wishes to make progress on the spiritual ladder. These are despair and presumption. The conception of ‘faith’ as merely the change of mind, where the penance (considered as ‘good works’) is of little or no consequence, often creates a disposition in the soul which inclines it to one or the other. For, when confronted with ones sins – and this must happen, as those who say they do not sin lie – such a one must either say that his sins are of no consequence for his salvation, which is simple presumption, or that his sins are the result of his lack of ‘faith’ (in the limited sense we have spoken of), so that he can do nothing to work out his salvation and must resign himself to despair – of which the best form perhaps is the resignatio ad infernum as the total loss of the voluntas propria and the corresponding total domination of the Divine Will. But teachings such as these are too difficult and dangerous for the vast majority of men, and verge too close to the abyss of despair.
The solution which we have proposed then is to properly conceive of conversion in its two parts, the one in mind or in principle, the other in deed or in manifestation. If we confess to be converted, yet still persist in sin; if we say to be whole once more, yet are clearly broken; if we declare ourselves saved, yet work in darkness, what do we do but make ourselves into a liar and God into a fool? The fruit betrays the tree.
There is yet another important part to this. For the penance is not only the logical consequence of the repentance, but it also strengthens it. As the soul is cleansed from the filth of sin, the speculum which by the sin of our ancestor and our personal sin had become darkened begins to be restored to its original nature and is able to better meditate on and sweetly contemplate the formerly obscure mysteries, so that our knowledge of heavenly things and so the strength of our conversion is increased. This creates a positive feedback loop which – if persisted in until death – continues into eternity, so that our hearts are ever more turned to, more centred on that most lovable and most intelligible Heart after Which it was formed and to Which it is conformed.
Surely now there are some who will say that here we have granted too much to man, that we have made him too powerful, granted him too much will – as Pelagius is said to have done. Yet let me state firstly that it is undoubtedly true that ‘faith alone’ (if one wishes to use this terminology) is sufficient, because (as philology also proves) there is only a conceptual, not a real, difference between ‘repentance’ and ‘penance’. Furthermore, in all this it must be remembered that all the parts or phases of repentance are only made possible by the Divine Grace, that they are only effectively done by the Divine Grace, and only perfected by the Divine Grace. But we must also remember that adagium of the schoolmen – God rewards our good works as if we ourselves are the source of them. All the virtues are gained also in the double way that we have been speaking of, on the one side, for us, they are attained by the continuous practice of good deeds with good intentions; on the other side, sub specie aeternitate, they are miraculously infused by the Almighty so that we may not boast for ourselves but revel only in the Lord. And another thing is true, namely that God regularly works only through those purified vessels, although He is not limited by them, deigning to speak even through dumb animals – and worse – through sinners. Let us then seek ceaselessly after this purification, not being content with a simple change of mouth and name, but truly seeking after the most precious gem hidden in the bosoms of the earth.
Of what then must consist this penance and purification? Here we will see the usefulness of the traditional practices which have been forgotten and neglected. They are works of mercy, mortifications, prayers, pilgrimages, lamentations, almsgiving, and all such things. For it is for example said that the weakness of an unfruitful soul can be cured in no better manner than by the liberality of alms-giving. And the devil is not more easily beaten than by the close guarding of the mouth. Oh, idle – that is, inert, without art and work, lacking fruit and utility - words, how great will your punishment be? How can a little blowing of wind pollute the soul so easily? If then air is so facile to pollute it, we need not speak of the more ignoble elements that the reprobate make abuse of - or are abused by. And this punishment will also be more increased for those who have taken unto themselves the name of Christ, who say to be delivered from sin. For those who live in the simple state of corrupted nature and whose minds are so clouded by lust that they could hardly catch a single beam of light from the Divine can just as hardly be judged for their ignorance. But those who have not only heard the teaching and the name, but also take it unto themselves, reserve for themselves a harsher judgment in so far as they have not fulfilled the greater potential they have been given.
Let us again always remember how strait and narrow the gate is, and how few are saved. We might only hope that in these latter days the gravity of the Judgment of God will be lessened by the conditions we find ourselves under. And do remember this as well, that this gate seems only arduous to us now, because we live in sin, and are attached to the pleasures of this world. For the yoke of Christ is truly sweet and easy, and its burden light. We carry it, yet He carries it with us, even the greater load. This yoke, therefore, is not so much a yoke as a silken pillow, because it does not press us with trouble, but releases us from the weight of earthly things, and raises us to Heaven. As S. Bernard has sagely said: “Does not the quantity of plumage a bird has lighten it, rather than weigh it down? Take away its feathers, and what remains of it is borne down to the ground by its own weight.” So indeed it is with men. For with men we also see a variety of birds. We see those birds of flight which by their altitude and clear vision avoid the trappings of this world. We see those birds which by their shiny colours only wish to further attract and attach themselves to the things of this world. Again we see many flightless birds who are unable to rise up to the contemplation of things Divine. But the truth with these is that indeed they do have wings, and indeed they could begin to fly, yet they consider it too much of a danger or a burden. But we shall not be so. We shall throw ourselves off the cliffs and either learn to fly or perish. And may the Simurgh carry us.