I can recall learning about this word for the first time during my senior year of college. The word struck me so much that I promised myself to use it as a title if I ever wrote a book. When I submitted my autobiographical essay during my application process with the Franciscans, I used this word in Greek as the title.

In the Gospel of Matthew, it is the first word we hear from John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness. In the Gospel of Mark, it is one of the first words spoken by Jesus. Often this word gets translated “repent” as in the “repent and believe in the Gospel” Catholics hear while receiving ashes, but literally in Greek it means “change of mind.”

One of the best quotes I’ve come across on metanoia that is by James Douglass:

“A key term in the Gospel– one on which Jesus’ entire statement pivots– is metanoia. Metanoia is the unavoidable imperative which we all seek to avoid, a demand placed upon us by existence itself. A greek word meaning literally “change of mind,” metanoia in its Gospel sense cuts like a karate chop through our well-worn schemes and justifications: We thought we knew who we were and where we were going. We had a lot invested in that knowing of ours. But it all managed to avoid the real issues. That’s what metanoia’s all about: done with our elaborate justifications! Metanoia is the absolute demand made on every man that he turn away from his self and that he turn toward the One who can finally become present only through the wrenching emptiness of man’s self-renunciation.”

Metanoia requires more than our modern notion of repentance. Jesus seems concerned with more than a single action or profession, but rather creating the new wineskin within our hearts. Not just an addition or elimination of a single thought, but a complete change in our mode of thinking. This can seem daunting or impossible, as our old ways feel safe and comfortable. Perhaps that’s why this word occurs over fifty times in the New Testament, so that the disciple can be presented with the opportunity over and over. 

Volunteering, reading scripture, a good homily, or a conversation with a mentor, can all lead to metanoia moments. The key is to recognize and capitalize on these moments so that they can be used as anchor points moving forward through this treacherous world. The repentance Jesus demands is not one filled with shame and guilt, but rather the commitment to use those anchor moments as the platform to live our Christian faith moving forward. 

Further Scripture to reflect on:

• Matthew 3:2
• Mark 1:15

Source: Douglass. James. Resistance and Contemplation: The way of liberation. Eugene, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2006.