“In those days, John appeared, the Baptist, proclaiming in the desert of Judea: ‘Repent: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (Mt 3:1-2)

“Do penance” Penance is not only mortification, to not eat something, to sleep on the floor. Penance in greek is metanoia: A turning around in the life of a person. It is to change mentality, sentiment; it is to change one’s life .
Penance is a turning oneself inside out. Better said: it is to allow oneself to be turned inside out. It was this that John the Baptist came to announce: “Do penance, turn yourselves inside out. Because the reign of God is at hand.” If John the Baptist said this in that time, preparing for the first coming of Jesus, imagine now. We are at the imminence of His second coming.

God bless you!

Monsignor Jonas Abib
Founder of the Canção Nova Community

excerpt of the book “Eu e minha casa serviremos ao Senhor” [Me and My House Will Serve the Lord] by Monsignor Jonas Abib

Translated from Portuguese