Bearing Good Fruit

Lent is a season of repentance.  But what does that mean?  We assume it has something to do with turning away from sin.  But according to the little parable in last Sunday’s Gospel, repentance also has something to do with bearing good fruit.

In fact here’s how I would describe it.  True repentance is bearing good fruit.

True repentance isn’t confessing our sins.  True repentance is transforming our sins into good fruit. For example, if your sin is gossiping and speaking ill of others, the remedy isn’t going to confession. The remedy is to see the good qualities of the people you put down and to affirm those qualities.  That changes the pattern.  So the good fruit of affirmation is a sign of true repentance.

Think of the last time you went to confession.  I’ll bet a $20 Culver’s card that most sins you confessed are the same sins you’ve confessed before.  Why am I so confident?  Because that’s what I always do!! It’s time to change the pattern. and we will do that by bearing good fruit.

Please note: This does not mean that we should stop going to confession.  Confession brings us forgiveness and that is a comforting and valuable grace.