By Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ
“Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away” Acts 3:19
There was a woman who experienced immense pain in her life and in the midst of this she had caused someone great pain as well. Thinking about the traumatic experience, she caught herself in deep shame of what she did. She didn’t know how to face herself, and she didn’t dare to face God! “Rather than living with my sins, maybe I should just end my life!” she thought to herself.
On a cold, clear winter day, she drove to a deserted beach. While the sun was shining, there was a disquieting dead silence at the beach. After getting out of her car, she began to walk on the soft sand along the length of the seashore. As she did so, she looked back on what she had done. The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had sinned beyond reproach.
So she started to walk into the sea. She walked and walked, undeterred by the coldness of the water. Her determination to kill herself was in no way diminished by the waves beating against her. As she was moving ahead, the water came up to her chin and she felt so cold that her teeth were chattering. But she kept on stepping into the sea.
When she knew that her next step would take her under the water, she felt the warmth of the winter sunshine. Suddenly, she desired to take one more look at the world that had also given her some good time before leaving it.
So she turned back and saw a smooth sandy beach. The footprints she had just left on the beach were smoothed over by the waves. Suddenly a voice from the heavens seemed to ring in her heart saying, “See, for all that you have done before, I can smooth it out for you like the waves wiping away all your footprints.” There is no sin that cannot be forgiven. But we only have one life. We will have opportunities to make amends for our sins as long as we are alive.
The lady suddenly realised that the Lord had been waiting for her to repent, but she had refused to respond. At that moment she wanted to give herself a chance and did not want to die. Although she was physically and mentally exhausted having been in the water for a while, the gentle waves supported her like the warm embrace of the Lord, gently pushing her back to the beach.
She gathered her thoughts and walked back to the car, warm-hearted even though her clothings were thoroughly soaked with sea water. She had to face the people whom she had hurt so badly and make a confession to a priest. She did not know what punishment she would face in life, but she felt that she was filled with hope and the possibility of a fresh start in a moment of repentance.
