By Metropolitan Augoustinos (Kantiotes) of Florina
Christ accepts everyone, even the greatest sinners. No matter how many sins a person has committed, Christ forgives, provided they repent. Therefore, "Repent!" shouts the venerable Mary of Egypt. But every day and every hour Christ shouts: "Repent!" (Matt. 3:2). He has called us to change our conduct, like Mary of Egypt and all the saints changed.
"Repent!" shouts all the elements of nature, the lightning and thunder, and woe to us if we do not hear.
"Repent!" shouts all the natural disasters, floods that make the rivers swell and threaten to drown the people, the earthquakes that demolish homes, the fires that incinerate forests, the sicknesses that bring us down.
"Repent!" shouts the graves and death, which come every day. But people remain insensitive, they do not repent. The years pass, the hairs whiten, the teeth fall, the body withers, the end is nigh, and not even then does a person say: "I repent!"
I have said this elsewhere: God will not judge us because we sinned, but He will judge us because we did not repent.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.