Metanoia is a Greek word that means to change completely, to convert from one way of life to another. It implies repenting of old ways and embracing a new, more holy, way of life. The chief priests and the elders in this Sunday’s Gospel reading were stuck in old ways of thinking. They were not open to hearing or acting upon the Good News that St. John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed. Jesus reprimanded them for refusing John and for not cooperating with God’s plan for redemption: “When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him…you did not later change your minds and believe him” (John 28:32).
The chief priests and elders thought the Messiah would come in a different way than how Jesus came. Jesus was born in a cave, worked as a poor carpenter in a little town, and preached the Gospel of love, peace, and mercy. The elders thought the Messiah would come as a political strongman, a glorious King. Indeed, Christ our Lord is King of the Universe, exceedingly more powerful than all the political powers of the world combined. The elders simply couldn’t understand; their minds were closed to Christ, closed to metanoia. How sad, really, for they had a front-row seat to the Messiah’s coming and they missed it out of sheer stubborn blindness.
We can ask ourselves if we can be stubborn at times and not open to change, even change for the good. We often have our own preconceived ideas of what should be happening in our lives. When we humbly submit to God’s plans for us, we become open to experiencing the change that He is calling us to. We are open to metanoia: changing our minds and believing even more deeply than we did before. God is constantly moving us out of our comfort zones and cultivating our hearts so that we grow in faith, hope, and love.
Lord Jesus, change can be scary. Walk with me though the dark valleys when I cannot see the change to come. Protect and comfort me. May I always be open to Your holy will.