A Contrite Heart

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A contrite heart. Talking with students, the question of what does contrite mean and what is a contrite heart has come up. I explained how contrite means you are really sorry, sorry enough to take consequences and a total change in action. A contrite heart is a heart that seeks forgiveness for wounds, and healing that needs to take place. A contrite heart is now aligned and focused to one thing: God and God’s ways. In the Gospel of Matthew today the author talks about forgiveness from Jesus’ perspective. Matthew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Note that we must forgive. Yet, we tend to judge if someone has a contrite heart or not. Yet in the reading we are warned that if we don’t forgive then God won’t forgive our transgressions. There is nothing about a contrite heart. There is nothing about judging a person if they are worthy of our forgiveness. Just forgive! Wow, I admit I do find this hard at times. Knowing what a contrite heart is, is helpful because if I can learn to have a contrite heart, I can learn to forgive unconditionally. As you walk your path today, ask yourself if you have a contrite heart and if there is someone you need to forgive on the path…

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