μετάνοια... metanoia... repent

One of the first things that Jesus says in the New Testament is "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).  This verse is sometimes used in the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday at the beginning of our retreat for purification and enlightenment.  The Greek word μετάνοια or metanoia, which has been alternatively translated as "repentance," "conversion," or even "change of one’s mind."  That last option, while the most literal, doe not quite capture the depth and richness of the term.  Metanoia comes from the combination of meta meaning "after" or "beyond" and nous meaning "mind". This term evoked the Hebrew תשובה (teshuvah) which is a “return” or turning back to God. Metanoia is not merely changing one's mind in the sense of exchanging one set of beliefs for another.  Nor is it merely repentance in the sense of critical self-examination and sorrow for one's sins.  Rather, metanoia involves a radical realignment of our vision, a fundamentally new orientation or way of seeing the world.  As we continue to journey through this period of purification and enlightenment, ask yourself, "In what ways has my new faith fundamentally changed the way in which I see the world?"