At the Feet of the Fathers—Clement of Rome: A Call to Repent

At the Feet of the Fathers

Monday, February 20, 2023

Clement of Rome

Pope Clement I (c. 35 AD – 99 AD) was the bishop of Rome in the late first century AD. He is listed by Irenaeus and Tertullian as the bishop of Rome from 88 AD to his death in 99 AD. He is considered the first Apostolic Father of the Church, one of the three chief ones with Polycarp and Ignatius of Antioch. Little is known about Clement's life. Clement was said to have been ordained by St. Peter. Early church lists him as the second or third bishop of Rome after St. Peter. The Liber Pontificalis states that Clement died in Greece in the third year of Emperor Trajan's reign, or 101 AD.

As Lent begins this Wednesday, we thought it interesting to hear a call to repentance from one of the earliest fathers of the church, from the seventh chapter of his letter to the church in Corinth.

A Call to Repent

We write these things, dear friends, not only to admonish you but also to remind ourselves. For we are in the same arena, and the same contest awaits us. Therefore let us abandon empty and futile thoughts, and let us conform to the glorious and holy rule of our tradition; indeed, let us note what is good and what is pleasing and what is acceptable in the sight of the one who made us. Let us fix our eyes on the blood of Christ and understand how precious it is to his Father because, being poured out for our salvation, it won for the whole world the grace of repentance. Let us review all the generations in turn and learn that from generation to generation, the Master has given an opportunity for repentance to those who desire to turn to him. Noah preached repentance, and those who obeyed were saved. Jonah preached destruction to the people of Nineveh; but those who repented of their sins made atonement to God by their prayers and received salvation, even though they had been alienated from God.

The ministers of the grace of God spoke about repentance through the Holy Spirit; indeed, the Master of the universe himself spoke about repentance with an oath: “For as I live, says the Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner so much as his repentance.”

- Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, 7:1-8:2