Holy Resurrection
YouTube
Repent Today, for Tomorrow Belongs to God
3:50
What the video says
A brother asks Abba Pimen about two men: a monk who planned to leave monastic life and a layman who planned to become a monk, both dying the same night before doing either. The elder answers that the monk died as a monk and the layman died a layman, because a person departs in the state in which death finds him. Other elders say that until a man's last breath he hears the call to repent today, and that this generation seeks tomorrow instead of today.
One elder answered the thought 'repent tomorrow' with 'I will repent today, and tomorrow let the will of God be done.' The text compares repentance to a fish escaping a net: while we live, God gives us strength to break the enemy's bonds through repentance, but once death overtakes us nothing can help us, like a fish pulled onto dry land.
It warns against saying 'today I will sin and tomorrow I will repent,' since tomorrow belongs to God alone, and one who sins hoping to repent later walks in deceit and may be struck by death before the day he counts on.
Key moments
- Abba Pimen says the monk died as a monk and the layman died a layman: in whatever state death finds a person, in that state he departs.
- An elder says that until a man's very last breath he hears the voice, 'Repent today.'
- An elder says this generation seeks not today but tomorrow; another elder answered thoughts of repenting tomorrow with 'I will repent today and tomorrow let the will of God be done.'
- An elder says evil not committed is not evil, but good not done is also not good.
- The earthly life is the time given for repentance; blessed is one who never fell into the enemy's snares, but one who tore the traps and fled slavery to the devil is also worthy of envy.
- While we live, God gives us authority and strength to break the enemy's schemes and through repentance obtain salvation and inherit the kingdom of heaven; after death nothing can help us, like a fish pulled onto dry land.
- Do not say 'today I will sin and tomorrow I will repent,' for you cannot be certain of tomorrow; care for tomorrow belongs to God alone.
- One who stumbles again hoping to repent later walks before God in deceit and may be struck suddenly by death before the day he counted on.
This reading comes from the Evergetinos, Volume I, Chapter 2, on doing good now and not delaying until the future, and on there being no correction after death. The collection was gathered by Venerable Nicodemus the Hagiorite, and the passage includes sayings from Saint Ephrem and Abba Isaak. A brother asks Abba Pimen about two men who died the same night: a monk who had planned to leave monastic life and a layman who had planned to become a monk, neither having done what he intended.
The elder answers that the monk died as a monk and the layman died a layman, because a person departs in the state in which death finds him. Other elders add that until a man's last breath he hears the call to repent today, and that this generation seeks tomorrow instead of today. One elder answered the thought of repenting tomorrow with the words, 'I will repent today, and tomorrow let the will of God be done.' The text compares repentance to a fish escaping a net: while we live, God gives us strength to break the enemy's bonds through repentance, but once death overtakes us nothing can help us, like a fish pulled onto dry land.
It warns against saying 'today I will sin and tomorrow I will repent,' since tomorrow belongs to God alone. One who sins hoping to repent later walks in deceit and may be struck by death before the day he counts on. The reading also says that evil not committed is not evil, but good not done is also not good, and that blessed is one who never fell into the enemy's snares, while one who tore the traps and fled slavery to the devil is also worthy of envy.
The post closes with an appeal for monthly and one-time donations toward building a future church home.
Main points
- Abba Pimen says the monk died as a monk and the layman died a layman: in whatever state death finds a person, in that state he departs.
- An elder says that until a man's very last breath he hears the voice, 'Repent today.'
- An elder answered thoughts of repenting tomorrow with 'I will repent today and tomorrow let the will of God be done.'
- Evil not committed is not evil, but good not done is also not good; after death nothing can help us, like a fish pulled onto dry land.
- Do not say 'today I will sin and tomorrow I will repent,' for care for tomorrow belongs to God alone.