Acts 26:20
20 But made known openly first of all to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance.
AMP
20 But made known openly first of all to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance.
AMP
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00I wonder how many
00:29of you, my dear listeners and followers, have ever been challenged on what you have believed
00:36and knew in your Protestant or Catholic or charismatic beliefs and understanding of
00:42what you have practiced for many years. Well, I have to admit that I am one of these who has had
00:49to stop and ponder upon many things that I have studied and learned by the timeline of the church
00:56history because I didn't really know many of these teachings that began or even existed which
01:04honed in on and clarified many answers that were left out of most denominations since the Great
01:11Schism in 1054 AD. Also, when the Roman Catholic Church departed from the Holy Catholic and Apostolic
01:21Church because of Rome's claim to the universal papal supremacy and also later declared in their
01:29dogma that the Pope was infallible in the year of 1870. This timeline dates back to the very beginning
01:38of the birth and continuity or the progression of the Orthodox Church from Pentecost 29 AD to this
01:46present day in 2025. Viewing this timeline was a major shake-up of many things I previously knew
01:55and held dear to my Christian beliefs in my salvation journey. I must tell you that I cried, I felt angry,
02:05I felt cheated, and I blamed no one but was thankful for my precious Lord Jesus Christ in opening my eyes to
02:13this truth and must admit that my own son Jonah Evans was responsible for putting a book into my hands
02:21which turned around missing pieces of the puzzle which have slowly been enlightening new understanding
02:28of which I have had many aha moments. Both my husband Lee and I have sat under Jonah's teachings
02:38as he conducts the catechumen classes which we attend weekly in a mission. A catechumen is one who was
02:47studying the faith in the early church. They received instruction in this way but they were not yet baptized.
02:54This practice has gone on since the church's beginning. This is where we both are in our journey
03:02in quest of knowing and pleasing our Lord Jesus Christ at this time in our latter years as I am almost in my
03:1080th year and Lee, my husband, is entering his 83rd year this next month. There's a saying that we are never
03:18too old to learn. I am not a spokesman for the Orthodox Church. I only share my experiences and what I truly
03:27am honored to be learning in the many aspects of the truth at this time and thanks be to God.
03:36There is a wonderful Orthodox monk whose name is Abbott Triffin who does a series of teaching on YouTube
03:43and in one of his latest teachings he tells us that the truth is not a thing or something that you learn
03:52but the truth that we learn as a Christian believer has a name and dear listener and followers this name is above
04:00every other name and his name is Jesus Christ. I have spent well over 28 years studying and teaching
04:10Holy Scripture only to find out that many things that I learned were short and even wrong and not
04:19in conformity in much of the vital meaning to make it pure with concise understanding according to the early
04:27church's unwavering holy doctrine which framed and outlined her existence for over 2,000 years since the
04:36beginning of the church which began again at 29 AD at Pentecost. I was a cradle Catholic as a young girl
04:46and went through being Protestant, charismatic, before discovering the ancient faith of Orthodoxy.
04:54Now I believe that we are not the only ones who are surprised because at this very time I share
04:59with you about our own experience of being introduced to this awesome ancient faith of the early fathers
05:06and holy traditions of the church. There are countless young people flocking into the Orthodox Church
05:13in this year of 2025. Rabbi Triffin, whom I mentioned earlier, tells of this number of young men
05:21who are coming to his monastery and many of them are considering joining a monastery to dedicate their lives
05:29to Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior. We live in a world today that is empty and void of honest and pure
05:37knowledge of true religion and our holy and sanctifying ways of preparing God's people for their future
05:45inheritance of the kingdom of God called our eternal home in the glorious place called the kingdom of heaven.
05:53And this brings me to our real purpose in sharing this part of our journey thus far. I call this title today
06:01my alarming journey into learning about what true repentance really is and means.
06:10We are going to talk about the importance of repentance and its ongoing vital necessity in a believer's life.
06:18But first of all, we need to look at the meaning of repentance in the Orthodox understanding.
06:24John the Baptist said in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 3 and verse 2,
06:32he declared it to ears who would hear,
06:35Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
06:39With these first words uttered by John the Baptist, who was a forerunner to Christ's coming,
06:46this was the beginning of Jesus' ministry and he began his own mission.
06:51From the very beginning, Christianity was a call to repentance, to conversion, to metanoia,
06:59which in Greek means a change of mind.
07:02In Matthew chapter 4, beginning in verse 12, we read,
07:07Now, when Jesus heard that John had been put into prison, he departed to Galilee.
07:14And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by a sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,
07:23that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
07:28The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
07:36Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen great light.
07:42And upon those who sat in the region in the shadows of death, light has dawned.
07:48Verse 17, from that time, Jesus began to preach and say,
07:52Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
07:57Can you see that Jesus' first words were like that of John the Baptist?
08:02It is, Repent.
08:04The kingdom of heaven is present, dear ones, wherever Christ is.
08:09You see, repentance accompanies faith and is a total about-face.
08:16The word in Greek literally means to change one's mind or to turn around.
08:23Metanoia, in practice, is a constant correction in one's course.
08:29It is an about-face in turning towards God and away from ourselves and our prideful egotism,
08:39self-centeredness, and self-absorption, which is concerned with me, myself, and I.
08:46This must happen so that the false self of our own making becomes our past,
08:54and the new true self can emerge, freeing us from the bondage of truly loving beyond ourselves
09:01and to love others by the miraculous transformation and grace of the Holy Spirit.
09:10You see, repentance is a radical change or transformation of one's entire life and thought.
09:17Their spirit, mind, thoughts, and heart has complete reorientation of the whole of one's life.
09:28It is a rejection of sinful deeds and thoughts and is a transfiguration of the person.
09:35It is a necessary first step in the way of the Lord.
09:38I have been absolutely astounded by learning through reading of the saints
09:45who truly sought to know the Lord Jesus Christ
09:49that we see in a way of a transformed life in the person of the elders and ancient fathers
09:56in the way that they lived.
09:59They desired nothing more than to know the will and the way
10:03and most of all the radiant love and grace of God.
10:07Having attained profound spiritual maturity,
10:12they have become transparent to Christ and to those around them.
10:16Each of these astounding lives have a remarkable story.
10:21Well, I am reminded of a dramatic testimony of one of the saints who lived in 344 A.D.
10:30And her life as a young woman was one who followed the passions of the body,
10:34running away from her parents at age 12 from Alexandria.
10:39There she lived as a harlot for 17 years,
10:43refusing money from men that she had sex with
10:46instead of living by begging and spinning flax.
10:51One day, however, she met a group of young men
10:54heading towards the sea to sail to Jerusalem for the veneration of the Holy Cross.
10:59Mary went along for the ride, seducing the men as they traveled for the fun of it.
11:06When the group reached Jerusalem and actually went towards the church,
11:11Mary was prohibited from actually entering in by an unseen force.
11:18After three attempts, she remained outside on the church patio.
11:24When she looked up and saw an icon of Virgin Mary, who was the mother of Jesus.
11:30In Greek, she is called Theotokos, which means the God-bearer and also means mother of God.
11:37She began to weep and prayed with all of her might that Theotokos might allow her to see the true cross.
11:46Afterwards, she promised she would renounce her worldly desires
11:50and go wherever the Theotokos may lead her.
11:54After this heartfelt conversion at the doors of the church,
11:58she fled into the desert to live as an ascetic.
12:02She survived for years on only three loaves of bread
12:06and thereafter scarce herbs of the land.
12:11For another 17 years, Mary was tormented by wild beasts, mad desires, and passions.
12:19And after these years of temptation, however, she overcame the passions
12:23and was led by the Theotokos in all things.
12:26Following 47 years in solitude, there she met priest St. Zosima in the desert,
12:36who pleaded with her to tell him of her life.
12:39She recounted her story with great humility,
12:42while also demonstrating her gift of clairvoyance.
12:46She knew who Zosima was and his life story despite never having met him before.
12:52Finally, she asked Zosima to meet her again the following year at sunset on Holy Thursday
13:00on the banks of the Jordan.
13:03Zosima did exactly this, though he began to doubt his experience as the sun began to set that night.
13:10Then, Mary appeared on the opposite side of the Jordan, crossing her south.
13:15She miraculously walked across the water and met Zosima.
13:18When he attempted to bow, she rebuked him, saying that as a priest he was far more superior
13:26and furthermore he was holding the holy mysteries.
13:30Mary then received communion and walked back to the Jordan
13:34after giving Zosima instructions about his monastery
13:38and that he should return to where they first met exactly a year later.
13:43When he did so, he found Mary's body with a message written on the sand,
13:49asking him for burial and revealing that she had died immediately
13:53after receiving the holy mysteries the year before
13:56and thus has been miraculously transported to the spot where she now lay.
14:02So, Zosima, amazed, began to dig, but soon tired.
14:08Then a lion approached and began to help him.
14:10That is, after Zosima had recovered from his fear of the creature.
14:14Thus, St. Mary of Egypt was buried.
14:18Zosima returned to his monastery, told all that he had seen,
14:23and improved the faults of the monks and abbot there.
14:27He died at almost a hundred years of age in the same monastery.
14:32Later, the story of Mary's life was written down by St. Sophronius,
14:39Patriarch of Jerusalem.
14:41And the life of St. Mary of Egypt is read during Great Lent.
14:46I was very moved and touched upon reading a heartfelt prayer
14:51that St. Mary of Egypt wrote to the Theodokist,
14:54who is also called the Panacheia,
14:57which is another Greek term for the Virgin Mother of Jesus,
15:01which means the All-Holy One.
15:03St. Mary of Egypt wrote,
15:06My Panacheia, Mother of God,
15:09who gave birth in the flesh to God the Word,
15:14I know, oh, how well I know,
15:16that there is no honor or praise to Thee
15:19when one is so impure and depraved
15:21as I look up unto Thy icon.
15:24O ever-Virgin,
15:26who didst keep my body and soul in purity,
15:30rightly do I inspire hatred and disgust
15:32before Thy virginal purity.
15:35But I have heard that God,
15:37who was born of Thee,
15:38became a man for the purpose
15:40to call sinners to repentance.
15:42Then help me,
15:43for I have no other help.
15:46Order the entrance of the church
15:47to be open to me.
15:49Allow me to see the venerable tree
15:52on which He who was born of Thee
15:54suffered in the flesh
15:55and on which He shed His holy blood
15:58for the redemption of sinners like me,
16:00unworthy as I am.
16:02Be my faithful witness before Thy Son,
16:05that I will never again defile my body
16:07by the impurity of fornication.
16:11But as soon as I have seen the tree of the cross,
16:14I will renounce the world and its temptations,
16:18and I will go wherever Thou will lead me.
16:22My loving Panagia,
16:23Thou hast shown me Thy great love for all men.
16:27Glory to God,
16:28who receives the repentance of sinners through Thee.
16:32What more can I recollect or say,
16:35I who am so sinful?
16:38It is time for me,
16:40my Panagia,
16:41to fulfill my vow according to Thy witness.
16:44Now lead me by the hand
16:46along the path of repentance.
16:48Dear ones,
16:52what a dramatic conversion and display
16:54of the process of repentance,
16:57which is we have previously read in her story
17:00that she had a whole lifetime
17:02battling the passions of the flesh,
17:05even overcoming them.
17:07By remaining true and faithful in her battle
17:11of overcoming lustful passions of the flesh
17:15through her ongoing repentance,
17:17her life of metanoia,
17:19which again means a complete turnaround
17:22or an about-face,
17:24she grew to the point where she attained the mind of Christ
17:28and made it her own
17:31by years of self-discipline
17:33and spiritual growth,
17:35which are all required to enter
17:37into deep fellowship
17:39or oneness
17:41with one's Savior.
17:44Apostle Paul gives us insight
17:46in 1 Corinthians 2,
17:49beginning in verse 13,
17:51regarding the mind of Christ.
17:53He says,
17:56These things we also speak,
17:58not in words,
18:00which man's wisdom teaches,
18:02but which the Holy Spirit teaches,
18:04comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
18:07But the natural man does not receive
18:09the things of the Spirit,
18:11for they are foolishness to him,
18:13nor can he know them
18:14because they are spiritually discerned.
18:16But he who is spiritual judges all things,
18:19and yet he himself is rightfully judged by no one.
18:23Verse 16,
18:24Who has known the mind of the Lord,
18:26that he may instruct him?
18:28But we have the mind of Christ.
18:32You see,
18:33the mind of Christ is enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
18:36and he brings those who are chrismated
18:38or baptized into communion with Christ
18:42and others of like mind in his body called the church.
18:46The mind of Christ is not a private gift given to some,
18:50but rather it is given to all.
18:52It is the mind of the church.
18:55The church is the body of Christ.
18:58The orthodox way of teaching
19:00is that chrismation is the sacrament
19:03which completes baptism,
19:05whereby one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit
19:08through the anointing with holy oil.
19:11We see this example of St. Mary of Egypt
19:14that in her process of repentance
19:17and deep conversion
19:18was a lifetime of metanoia,
19:21which again is the complete turnaround
19:23from sins or passions of the flesh.
19:27And we're talking about transformation,
19:30dear ones.
19:31We are not called to an institution
19:33for spending a lifetime of regret,
19:36remorse,
19:37and self-pity
19:38concerning our sins or bad choices,
19:40but rather metanoia in practice
19:43is a constant correction in our journey.
19:47It is returning back to God
19:49and away from ourselves.
19:52As we talk about a subject like repentance,
19:56which is the main theme
19:57of John the Baptist's ministry,
20:00and also our dear Savior's mission
20:02in coming to this earth,
20:03Jesus said in Luke chapter 5, verse 32,
20:08I have not come to call the righteous,
20:10but sinners to repentance.
20:13Even our example in St. Mary of Egypt's
20:17story of conversion,
20:18the last part of her prayer
20:20was the mission or quest of her heart's desire
20:23when she prayed saying,
20:26It is time for me, my panacheia,
20:29to fulfill my vow according to thy witness,
20:32Now lead me by the hand
20:34along the path of repentance.
20:38In learning the mysteries of the ancient faith
20:40found in orthodoxy,
20:42I have learned that confession
20:44comes into focus by private confession
20:47with an ordained priest.
20:49Yes, I know.
20:51According to Protestantism,
20:53it is believed that confessing our sins to God
20:55before a priest is not biblical
20:57because of the scripture
20:59that says in James chapter 5, verse 16,
21:02Confess your sins or trespasses to one another.
21:08But when we learn about the ancient Christian custom,
21:12which dates back to the beginning of the church
21:14in 29 AD,
21:16it was to confess your trespasses or sins
21:19to one another.
21:21But dear ones,
21:22this practice was done before the whole church
21:25at that time
21:26as a matter of repentance.
21:28Now as the church grew
21:31and those who were not a part of the community
21:34came to observe
21:35and the pressure in such a public confession
21:38became so great
21:39that the priest,
21:41instead of the entire community
21:43hearing one's confession,
21:45he alone heard the individual's confession
21:48representing the people.
21:49And it has been done this way
21:51since that time,
21:542,000 years ago.
21:56We serve a loving God
21:58who is generous in mercy
22:00and full of grace
22:01that he graciously and richly bestows
22:04on those who search for him
22:05with all of their hearts,
22:07their minds,
22:08their whole being.
22:10In the example of the saints
22:12and the continuity
22:13of the ancient faith
22:15and the holy traditions
22:16of the Orthodox Church,
22:18this practice
22:18in quest of attaining
22:20oneness with Christ
22:21means that they practice
22:23a lifelong,
22:24ongoing repentance
22:26and produce the fruits
22:27of the Holy Spirit
22:28which are love,
22:30joy,
22:30peace,
22:31patience,
22:32long-suffering,
22:33gentleness,
22:34and so on
22:34found in Galatians 5,
22:37verse 22.
22:39In our title today,
22:41I have said,
22:42this is my surprising journey
22:44into learning about
22:45what true repentance really is
22:48and what it means
22:49and I have learned
22:51in my own surprising journey
22:53thus far
22:53that the difference
22:55between Orthodox
22:56and Protestant perspectives
22:57on repentance
22:58differs significantly.
23:01Orthodox Christianity
23:03views repentance
23:04as a continuous,
23:06ongoing journey,
23:07self-reflection,
23:09confession,
23:10and striving for holiness
23:11and involves priestly guidance
23:14in the sacrament
23:15of confession.
23:16whereas in the Protestant tradition
23:20which I practice
23:21emphasizes the importance
23:23of regret for sin
23:25and have faith
23:26in Christ's forgiveness.
23:28They generally believe
23:30that repentance
23:30is a once-and-for-all act
23:33based on faith
23:35and that following sins
23:37are forgiven through prayer
23:38and faith alone.
23:41There is a regrettable belief
23:43among some Protestant traditions
23:45that through John Calvin's error
23:48in teaching
23:49and doctrine
23:50which says
23:50once saved,
23:52always saved.
23:54And how many of you know
23:55that salvation is not cheap
23:58and with a high price
24:00or cost
24:00in Jesus Christ
24:02coming to this earth
24:03divesting himself
24:04of his glory
24:05as being the creator
24:07of all things
24:08visible and invisible.
24:10He spilled his precious blood
24:12for the forgiveness
24:13and salvation
24:14of man's sin
24:15and offers eternal life
24:17to all
24:18who live according
24:19to his way
24:20and what he outlines
24:22for us
24:22in the Holy Book of Life
24:23and the Holy Traditions
24:25of the Ancient Fathers.
24:28Orthodox
24:28and Protestant believers
24:30differ on salvation.
24:33As primarily
24:34being a Protestant
24:35for almost 28 years
24:36and teaching
24:37in that concept,
24:38I realize
24:40that they emphasize
24:41the view of justification
24:43by faith alone.
24:45While now understanding
24:46as a cat and human
24:47in the Orthodox tradition,
24:49we learn
24:50that salvation
24:51includes
24:51a lifelong effort
24:53in cooperation
24:55with God's grace
24:56and energy
24:56in one's life
24:58that brings about
24:58this wonderful
25:00lifelong transformation
25:01and it primarily
25:03teaches
25:04that repentance
25:05is one of the most
25:07important parts
25:08of a believer's salvation.
25:11In the Orthodox view
25:13and Orthodox theology,
25:16justification
25:16is a lifelong journey
25:19based on faith
25:20and love
25:21and becoming
25:22more Christ-like
25:23and acting
25:24with free will
25:25in cooperation
25:26with grace
25:27and the synergy
25:28or the cooperation
25:30or cooperation
25:31with God
25:32in overcoming
25:33passions of the flesh
25:35called sin.
25:37In the Protestant view,
25:39which is influenced
25:40by Martin Luther
25:41during the Protestant Reformation,
25:44Protestants adhere
25:45to justification
25:46by faith alone.
25:49Faith in God
25:49declares a person
25:51righteous
25:51and deserving
25:52of eternal salvation
25:54through God's grace
25:56alone.
25:57It involves
25:58personal trust
26:00in Christ's sacrifice
26:01on this cross,
26:02not just
26:03intellectual belief.
26:05They reference
26:06Ephesians 2,
26:07verses 8 and 9
26:09to support
26:10their belief.
26:12And Protestants
26:12also value
26:14good works
26:14and obedience
26:15to God's commandments
26:16as natural
26:18expressions of faith.
26:20Ephesians 2,
26:22verses 8 and 9
26:23declare,
26:25For by grace
26:26you have been saved
26:27through faith,
26:28and that not
26:29of yourselves,
26:30it is a gift
26:30of God,
26:31not of works,
26:33lest anyone
26:33should boast.
26:35Verse 10,
26:36For we are all
26:37his workmanship,
26:38created in Christ Jesus
26:39for good works,
26:40which God prepared
26:42beforehand
26:42so that we should
26:44walk in them.
26:46Orthodox perceives
26:47the Protestant view
26:49as oversimplified,
26:51viewing eternal life
26:52with Christ
26:53as a result
26:54of faith,
26:54plus a lifelong effort
26:56of overcoming
26:57tendencies for sin
26:58through faith
26:59and the indwelling
27:00of the Holy Spirit
27:01and ongoing repentance
27:03for sin.
27:06Active life
27:07in the church
27:08is necessary.
27:10And Orthodox Christians
27:11recognize that salvation
27:12is not merely
27:14an individual pursuit,
27:16but a loving relationship
27:17with God
27:18experienced within the church.
27:20They participate
27:21in liturgical acts,
27:24invoking the Holy Spirit
27:25for purification
27:27and sanctification.
27:29And they pursue
27:30a Christ-like life
27:32through participation
27:33in the sacraments,
27:35daily prayer,
27:36fasting,
27:37and repentance.
27:39Not based on
27:40human effort alone,
27:41both Orthodox
27:42and Protestant
27:44traditions
27:45agree salvation
27:46cannot be earned
27:48through human efforts
27:49alone.
27:50Orthodox Christianity
27:52emphasizes synergy
27:54as a necessity
27:55of ongoing efforts
27:57in cooperation
27:58with God's grace,
28:00which again,
28:01grace is explained
28:02as God's uncreated energy
28:04at work in our lives.
28:07To summarize
28:08all of the differences,
28:10Protestants emphasize
28:11faith alone.
28:13Orthodox Christianity
28:15embraces
28:16a comprehensive understanding
28:18that involves
28:19an evolving love
28:21relationship with God
28:22through ongoing
28:24personal effort
28:25in cooperation
28:26with grace.
28:27Faith and grace
28:29are essential
28:30in both traditions,
28:32recognizing that
28:33personal efforts
28:34separated from grace
28:36cannot earn salvation.
28:38Orthodox Christianity
28:40emphasizes synergy
28:41as the cooperation
28:43with God's grace
28:44to become purified
28:45of all sinful tendencies,
28:48enabling believers
28:49to participate
28:50in fulfilling
28:52God's will
28:52instead of their own will.
28:55This process
28:56is lifelong,
28:58nurtured by the Holy Spirit,
29:00gained through the sacraments
29:01of fasting,
29:03prayer,
29:04repentance,
29:06and a Christ-like life.
29:07I have learned
29:09in my quest
29:10in finding
29:11and learning
29:11the truth
29:12that is beyond
29:12what I have known
29:14as Protestant theology
29:16that the ancient fathers
29:18and holy traditions
29:20have held insight
29:21and practice
29:22to the way
29:23that was ordained
29:24by God
29:24at the beginning
29:26of the Church's history,
29:27which again,
29:28I repeat,
29:29is Pentecost 29 AD.
29:32Now,
29:32some of these
29:32dear saints of God
29:34have shared
29:35from the very inception
29:36of the Church's history
29:38about our main subject today
29:40and that is about
29:41repentance
29:41and its importance
29:43and encouragement
29:44when we fall short.
29:46St. Gregory of Palmas,
29:48for instance,
29:49said,
29:50Repentance is the beginning,
29:51the middle,
29:52the end
29:53of the Christian way of life.
29:55St. Joseph of Hesychus
29:57says,
29:59Always do a metanoia,
30:01repentance,
30:02when you are wrong.
30:04Don't delay.
30:05Otherwise,
30:05the evil one
30:06can spread
30:07his roots
30:07within you.
30:09St. John Clemicus
30:10of the Ladder,
30:12To repent
30:13is not to look downward
30:14at my own shortcomings,
30:17but upwards
30:18at God's love.
30:19It is not
30:20to look backwards
30:21with self-reproach,
30:23but forward
30:23with trustfulness.
30:25It is not to see
30:25what I have failed to be,
30:27but what by the grace
30:29of Christ
30:30I might yet become.
30:33Hallelujah.
30:33Hallelujah.
30:35St. Tychon of Zedonok,
30:38there is more mercy
30:39in God
30:40than there are sins
30:41in us.
30:43Confess your sins
30:43at once,
30:44whatever they might be.
30:47And St. John Christosom
30:48told us,
30:51Repentance is a medicine
30:53which destroys sin.
30:55It is also
30:56a heavenly gift.
30:57And lastly,
30:59St. Necarios
31:00of Agena
31:02encourages us
31:03by sharing.
31:05The path leading
31:06to perfection
31:07is long.
31:08Pray to God
31:09that he will
31:09strengthen you.
31:11Patiently accept
31:12your falls
31:12and having stood up,
31:14immediately run to God,
31:16not remaining
31:17in that place
31:17where you have fallen.
31:19They're not to spare
31:20if you keep falling
31:20into your own sins.
31:22Many of them
31:22are strong
31:23because they have
31:24received the force
31:25of habit.
31:27Only with the passage
31:28of time
31:29and with fervor
31:30they will be conquered.
31:32Don't let anything
31:33deprive you of hope.
31:36Finally,
31:36dear listeners
31:37and followers,
31:39let us embark
31:40on the path
31:41of spiritual discipline
31:43purely for the sake
31:44of our Lord Jesus Christ,
31:46our Savior,
31:47that we may attain
31:49and arise
31:50to the true love
31:51of God
31:51and our neighbor
31:52and begin the path
31:54of our transformation
31:55through continual repentance,
31:58prayer,
31:58and fasting.
32:00This is the key
32:01to true humility.
32:03May it be blessed
32:05by our Lord Jesus Christ,
32:07our Savior.
32:08by our Savior of
32:25and giving you