The whole Church looks with great expectation and hope to every Lenten season. This is so since Lent offers the Church a golden opportunity to examine herself in front of the intimate and faithful gaze of Christ, her Lord and Saviour. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving and conversion all point towards that ever inner renewal, which is expected from every committed disciple of Christ. Thus, Lent is a pilgrimage of faith, spiritual combat and metamorphosis in Christ. Such an arduous journey makes the believer see, touch and announce the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday. With Mary Magdalene, Christ’s disciple confesses with joy: “I have seen the Lord” (Jn 20,18). If conversion seems to be the key for a fruitful celebration of Easter, what do we exactly mean by it?

The Bible has a lot to teach us in this respect. The biblical term which the Bible uses for conversion is the Greek word metànoia. Even outside the biblical sources, the word metànoia signifies a change in one’s conviction, attitude or designed plan. In addition, it suggests repentance for the way one has previously acted. The biblical conception of metànoia both conserves and enriches its dual meaning, most of all thanks to the contribution of various biblical authors.

Within the prophetic movement, metànoia demands an interior attitude that corrects one’s personal relationship with God. For the judge Samuel, to convert means “to return to the Lord God”. As a matter of fact, Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ash’taroth from among you, and direct your heart to the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Sam 7,3).

Obviously, this turning to God needs to be accompanied by a change in one’s habits. In Israel’s case it meant a decisive turning away from the false gods of the Canaanites, as well as having a strong will to never let itself be estranged from the Lord in the future. For the prophet Amos, conversion implies a seeking of the Lord. Such a quest for God is safeguarded by a practical yet strong principle: “seek good, and not evil, that you may live” (Am 5,14). With prophet Hosea, conversion entails a journey back to the former state of things, that is to say, a friendship with God. As the Lord said to Hosea: “afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days” (Hos 3,5). With Samuel, Amos and Hosea, the emphasis is more on a communitarian conversion, namely the conversion of the People of Israel.

On the other hand, with the prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Malachi conversion becomes more personal, internal and urgent. For instance, prophet Jeremiah denounces the people of Judah of not returning to the Lord with her whole heart, but in pretense (see Jer 3,10). According to Ezekiel and Malachi, conversion is a question of transforming the heart. “Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die” (Ezek 33,14-15).

The New Testament opens with John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea, strongly inviting the people to conversion: “Repent” (‘metanòeite’) (Matt 3,2). John demands from the people who come to him a radical change in their lifestyles.

Jesus’ preaching highly accentuates the value of faith and charity. One is to change one’s life on account of God’s filial love rather because of the latter’s fear. Like John, Jesus makes use of the same formula ‘metanòeite’. For Jesus, conversion has to be first and foremost interiorised. It is the criterion through which things are valued and given their appropriate importance. Renewed actions could only follow if they are prompted by this novel attitude to life.

The apostles’ conception concerning metànoia is perfectly identical to that of Christ. The greatest evil from which one needs to be converted from is the state of separation from God and Christ. Paul makes use of the expression metànoia and its derivatives to explain the conversion of baptized sinners. For Paul, in order to be saved, Christians who have sinned must be sorry (lùpe) and keep intact the intention to sin no more (metànoia). In John’s view, conversion induces a person to change her/his behaviour.

The Book of Revelation is quite explicit on this practical effect of conversion. To the church in Ephesus, the author writes: “Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Rev 2,5). And the church in Thyati’ra would face the same fate if she continues to “refuse to repent of her immorality” (Rev 2,21).

Hence, in the biblical understanding, metànoia has a threefold dimension. First, it is theocentric, since it is a journey towards God. Second, it is ethical, due to one’s avoidance of evil and doing of what is good. Third, it is affective, because of the person’s love towards God.

Concretely speaking, conversion suggests cleansing from sin. One of the most beneficial expressions of metànoia is the fruitful reception of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. It brings about the following healing outcomes on the repentant penitent: “reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace; reconciliation with the Church; remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins; remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin; peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation; and an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle” (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1496).

A repentant Christian celebrates his loving relationship with God by loving his neighbour. Lent is a splendid occasion whereby we, as Christians, rediscover, once more, that compassionate gaze of Christ, and make it our own. In view of the many people (including our relatives and friends) who are longing for joy, peace, and love, why not sharing Christ’s loving attention with those who have no one with whom they can speak their heart out with during this Lent? What is the point of simply fasting and praying, if this is not translated into charitable actions towards the poor of our time? Is not mercy an essential aspect of Christian love? Is it not its second name? (See John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter Dives in misericordia, 7).

Lent’s motto is: “repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1,15). Turning back to God is the intended aim of a genuine conversion. Let us deepen our faith by resorting more frequently to the sacrament of penance and reconciliation, and restore our love for Christ by loving wholeheartedly our brothers and sisters, especially the needy ones.

Then, on Easter Sunday, we shall have every reason to rejoice, because through Christ, we too experience our resurrection, already from this life.