Repentance Can Happen in a Heartbeat, but Conforming Can Take a Lifetime

A Bible Study on St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, chapter 15 verses 4-13.

“Brethren, what things soever were written, were written for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ: that with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honor of God.

For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and magnify him, all ye people. And again, Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Like all the Apostles in the early years of their missionary work, St. Paul had to deal with the contentions arising between Jewish converts and Gentile converts to Christianity. This was no easy task. Conversion is never an easy task for the one converting, because they bring in an entire life time of beliefs, predispositions, traditions, family upbringing, cultural ideas, as well as concupiscence (the tendency of fallen man to still gravitate towards sin even after receiving grace) into the equation with the unique worldview of Christianity. Repenting of our sins and having faith in Christ can often happen in a heartbeat, but then the process of conforming our thoughts, words, and actions to Jesus Christ and His Sacred Doctrine can seemingly take a lifetime. Thank God that He is so patient with us!

We need to be patient with ourselves as we grow in grace, and one of the great helps for us is the comfort found in Sacred Scripture, wherein we discover that all of God’s Holy Ones went through the same types of growing pains in faith that we all do. From Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Lot, Isaac, Jacob and Rachel, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Samuel, Hannah Esther, Ruth, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, and so many more examples, we see how God meets each of us where we are when we turn to Him, and He walks with us in small steps to lead us to the heights of Heaven.

St. Paul wants the converts to Christianity, whether their background was Jew or Gentile, to be of one mind and proclaim with one mouth, because God always desires unity. Division and confusion do not come from Him. So St. Paul has to demonstrate how God was working in all circumstances to lead both Jews and Gentiles to the one Body of the Church, and this is still true even today. He calls all people, from all backgrounds, to come to the Ark of Salvation which is His Church, so that we can be of one mind and worship with one voice.

So the holy Apostle warns those who are contentious with one another in the true faith to put aside their divisions so as not to deprive themselves of the hope that God wishes to lavish within their souls. Division is caused by sin, and we must always be on guard on preserving our grace and growing in virtue, and ensuring we are not allowing our own shortcomings to cause others to stumble, whether it stems from pride, anger, envy, impurity, greed, etc.

Our God showcases His patience with all of us in that He sends us graces to foster a penitent heart and to aid us in growing in holiness. And He wants us to receive the supernatural virtue of hope so that our sole desire in this life is to be with Him in glory in the next life. And therein lies the true source of our joy and peace, that we know by enduring through the trials and tribulations of this present life, we shall then reign with Him in the eternal life of Heaven. May the graces of the Advent season assist us in this.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We love you. Save souls. Amen.