Our personal and communal summon to repentance
"If then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14) This verse, spoken by God to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple, encapsulates the covenantal conditions of divine mercy and restoration. It offers both a warning and a promise—an assurance that God remains attentive and responsive to His people, provided they respond in humility, repentance, and prayer. The phrase “my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced” recalls Israel’s identity as the elect nation, bearing the sacred name of the Lord. But an election does not grant immunity from judgment; rather, it bestows a greater responsibility to live according to the covenant. This verse reveals God’s enduring desire for reconciliation and healing. It affirms that divine mercy is never withheld arbitrarily; it is always available to the contrite...