"Through the heart, we come to know of the Divine and through the heart the healing Grace of Love manifests in our lives. " ~Fr. Michael Adams

Note: reflection offered by guest contributor ~liz Sorensen Wessel

A widespread view held in the Christian tradition, is that Jesus endured a horrific death on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice; in payment for the sins of humanity. Yet, there are some who are not completely content with this interpretation of Metanoia as “repentance” as to suffer remorse, or to pay a price for our (perceived) sins. One such person is a friend of mine and these reflections represent a correspondence in which these sacred thoughts were shared (by my friend) in an expansive way.

 Helpful to some is the fifth century Peshitta (Greek New Testament) most likely translated from Greek to Aramaic, the language that Jesus would have spoken in ancient times. “In Matthew 4:17 the Greek translation of Jesus words are 'Repent' for the kingdom of God is at hand. In Aramaic, He would have used the word “tubv” which can mean repent but primarily means to answer, reply, or to return.  It can also mean to come again, flow back or ebb. However, a deeper layer of meaning suggests waiting with something by affinity because it feels like going home.”

 "Where is this home?  In the story of the Prodigal Son, he literally retraces the his steps home to his family, the spiritual meaning describes a change in how one perceives, a change of mind upon reflection, as well as repentance. The ebb connotation of  'tubv' could be seen as a return to within or perhaps among.” (some paraphrasing)

 "Mathew 4:17 is paired with the statement that 'The kingdom of God is at hand' meaning to arrive, touch upon, something that is happening now. The Aramaic word refers to meeting or coming together in the innermost part, the center, or if you will, the heart. Yet this has nothing to do with what we usually call 'mind' or 'ego.' A change of ego thought, which might be seen as a flow of reformation as in New Years resolutions, is to simply exchange one set of illusions for other illusions. There is no real change in the sense of resolutions but what Jesus is getting at is a turning around, a response whose form astonishes or strikes one to the core.  It suggests a process that flows from within to without, a manifestation of our true Self in God.”

 No doubt, the official Christian version of the bible reflects the radical love of Jesus. “Jesus' teachings were not only revolutionary but subversive to ego thought, which His believers were mostly stuck in, so Jesus resorted to telling parables.  In Mark 4:10-12, Jesus speaks of being forgiven, which in Aramaic means to be restored to ones original state, or to be set free.  Jesus is hopeful that in time, like a delayed reaction, the parables meaning will hit you and I in the heart enabling us to let go of ego thought, the past, our 'sins', which is the real meaning of forgiveness.”

Personally, this concept of Metanoia is very meaningful to me because it is freeing and absent of  guilt. A spring bubbling up with hope that we will recognize ourselves in God, and to see  each person we meet as ourselves; to Love our neighbor as ourselves and to know the  joy of being  One in the Great Spirit.

I leave you with this song called The Colors of My Heart by Sharon Burch

note: mandala by ~liz