Repentance

IN THE workplace, we find all sorts of people of varying degrees of maturity. One's maturity is evident in a crisis. The difference between a mature individual and an immature one may be measured by their reaction to a problematic situation no one wants to own. An immature person will without thought pass the buck, blame anyone but himself for the error in order to escape responsibility; a mature individual will carefully assess the situation and look inward to find out his culpability.

As we know, there are infinitely more immature than mature persons in this world, but what we may not realize is that our personal, individual situation in the workplace has something to do with the quality of our society. Immaturity is not the monopoly of the unschooled, the poor, the ordinary employee. And it is a dangerous quality if possessed by people in power, such as military officers, highly placed government officials, professionals like doctors, lawyers and accountants, and religious leaders. Imagine the havoc created when a general, a president, a senator, a judge, or a bishop refuses to take responsibility for their actions!

Shirking responsibility even when it is obviously staring one in the eye is rooted in pride, and pride does not want the person to repent. Pride reinforces a person's self-righteousness and hardens the heart until it becomes blind to one's weaknesses and need for repentance. Our Lord says, "… if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!" When our leaders do not repent, it is not only they who perish-they bring down others, too, whether these are directly influenced by them or suffer the consequences of the leaders' stubborn pride. On the other hand, repentance exudes a fragrance that by God's mercy lifts people's lives.