Penance and Perspective

By Eric Hanna, SJ

When we first look at penance, oftentimes we can be deceived into thinking about all the hard work it will involve. Penance can seem like a burden: the burden of self-evaluation and the labour of changing one's self.

But once you come closer to penance, it becomes clear that the burden is light. Self-evaluation is easy when the God who knows us intimately is looking upon us with love.

And changing is joyful when it is a natural growth born from our own desire to live more vibrantly. This still involve work; but it is hardly toil.

So if you start feeling like it's too much work to stop and take an honest look at your priorities, that's a good sign it's time to do exactly that.

Once we slow down and get some perspective, we orient our lives towards what is truly important.