Last Sunday Jay invited us to reflect on our mission statement, Behold and Become, in the context of the calling of Jesus’ first disciples. Jay encouraged us to see the invitation to first behold Christ then to follow him in order to become more like him as the path of discipleship.

I want to continue exploring the same theme this Sunday as we look at another passage where Jesus calls his disciples and ask, “What does repentance have to do with discipleship?”

In our gospel passage this Sunday, Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah to say to his readers that Jesus is the great light that has come into the world so that we might not walk in darkness.

But what does light have to do with repentance? To see ourselves truly in the light of Christ is to be called to repentance, which is really to change our minds about ourselves, to follow his path rather than our own.The brighter the light, the deeper, the darker the shadow, and so repentance is always part of beholding and becoming. We behold Christ, yes, but we also behold ourselves in light of Christ. In his light we can rightly see the depth of the shadows that we cast. So then, to behold Christ in order to become like him is also to behold ourselves truly.

Our weekly “Collect for Purity” reminds us of this. It is a prayer that says, “I am not here to hide.” It is a prayer that says, “I have come to behold the one who already and always beholds me.” The promise of the gospel is that the one who sees us fully, also calls us to repentance, calls us to follow him. The call to repentance is an invitation to flee the shadow of ourselves and to pursue the light of Christ. Jesus says, Repent, but he also says, Follow me, and I will take what you are now and make you so much more.