IN the parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger son on coming back to his senses,  says to himself, “I will arise and go to my father, and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son;  treat me as one of your hired servants.’” These words express the true meaning of ‘repentance’. The young man not only expresses regret for what he had done, but also turns to his father seeking forgiveness and acceptance from him. True repentance involves turning away from sin and turning towards God in hope. It means a ‘change of heart’, a ‘conversion’ or turning one’s back to what is evil and deciding to pursue what is good. It also includes a firm resolve not to sin again.
Merely regretting or giving up evil is not true repentance. This would leave a person empty and even lead to giving up of hope. While renouncing evil one must seek to do good, to seek God. Such an attitude would be positive. It would give the person a purpose — a higher goal to live for.  Mere regret or false sorrow for wrongdoing is centred on oneself. Repentance or true sorrow is centred on others or on God. Let us suppose I have arrogantly insulted a friend. I may regret what I have done and say to myself, “How could I stoop to do such a thing? It is so very shameful. How can I show my face to others after having behaved like this? I am not fit to live!” Such thoughts which rotate around one self may only indicate pride or a sense of self-respect. It could lead to despair or even to suicide. This is not true repentance. If I am truly sorry, I should say to myself, “How much my friend must have suffered! I must apologize to him, ask for his forgiveness, and tell him that I will never hurt him again.”
In the Bible, we find several examples of refusal to repent, and of both false and true repentance: Cain refuses to repent when, after he has killed his brother, God asks him, “Where is Abel your brother?” He replies, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”  Judas regrets betraying Jesus when he says, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” But he does not turn to the Lord for forgiveness; instead he turns away in despair and hangs himself. Peter, on the other hand, “weeps bitterly” for denying the Lord three times and seeks his forgiveness. King David, when confronted by the Prophet Nathan with the double-sin he has committed, humbly admits his guilt and turns to God saying, “I have sinned against the Lord.”  The sinner woman of Magdala is forgiven all her sins by Jesus because she showed true repentance when “she wept at his feet………… and anointed them with the ointment she had brought.”(Lk 7, 38) Seeing her repentant attitude, Jesus said to his host, Simon, “Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Lk 7,47) The Prophet Daniel expresses true sorrow for the sins of his people by turning to the Lord saying, “To us, O Lord, belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness…….O Lord, hear; O Lord forgive; O Lord, give heed and act; delay not for thy own sake, O my God.” (Dan 9, 8-19)
The ‘Miserere’ expresses most aptly the spirit of repentance. It reads as follows: “Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness…..My offences truly I know them; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done…..From my sins turn away your face and blot out all my guilt. A pure heart creates for me, O God, and put a steadfast spirit within me. (Ps 50, 1-10).