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?"
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In the Eastern Roman Empire the common language of the people was Greek. Even in Rome where the language of the governing classes was Latin the mass was however celebrated in Greek until the third century. From the third century onward the Mass was in Latin in the West. The change in language was done so that the people could understand what was being said in their own language. In the fifth century the Kyrie Eleison became part of the liturgy in the West. It was an adoption of Greek customs from the eastern Church. The Kyrie Eleison is a Greek prayer which is a repeated asking God for mercy. Kyrie Elsison is a transliteration into Latin letters of the Greek phrase Χριστέ, ἐλέησον which means “Lord, have mercy.”
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