On Repentance:

From St. John Chrysostom


"If you have sins do not become despondent, I often tell you this and will never stop. And even if you sin daily then you should repent daily. Just as when you have an old house and repair parts that begin to decay, removing the rotten pieces and replacing them with the new, the same should be done with your souls. You never forget to repair your house and so in the same manner you should never forget with your soul.

If you are brought backwards through sin renew yourself through repenting. Is it possible you ask me that through repenting you can be saved? Of course it is. All my life I spent in sin ... and when I repent I find Salvation. How do I know this? How is this clear? From our God's Love of man ... because His Love cannot be counted, nor His gifts described with words. Think of a spark falling into the sea. Can it stay alight and shine? As much as a spark can stay alight in the abyss of the sea so can sin stand up to God's Love... God's Love is even better and much more. We know the abyss of the sea and even if it is large it can be measured but God's Love has no bounds and is immeasurable."