Concetti Chiave
- Being repentant involves feeling remorse and guilt over a wrong action, as seen in Lisa and Jacob's experiences.
- Indifference is characterized by a lack of concern for others, leading to an absence of remorse, unlike those who feel guilty like Betty.
- Humiliation results in a lowered status or dignity, exemplified by the mayor's family losing their wealth and status.
- Living in humble circumstances refers to having little money and possessions, often chosen by those taking vows of poverty, like priests and nuns.
- Humbling oneself may involve asking for forgiveness or a favor from someone in power, as John did with his boss.
What is the meaning of being repentant?
Remorseful means feeling upset and a sense of guilt over a wrong you committed, so you feel remorse for something. A remorseful person feels sorry for something he has said or done.
Lisa made fun of the way Sally was dressed at school. When Sally ran into the bathroom in tears, Lisa felt remorseful but just for a minute.
Jacob's remorse over hurting his sister's feelings kept him awake through the night. He cleared his conscience by apologizing to her in the morning.
Indifference and lack of remorse
One who is indifferent to the suffering of others would not feel remorse for hurting them in some way. But one who feels remorse might suffer from pangs of conscience. In other words, he would have a guilty conscience.
Peter was indifferent to his parents' concern about his bad marks. He felt no remorse for partying instead of studying.
Betty felt great remorse for the hurtful things she had said to her sister. Her pangs of conscience caused her many sleepless nights.
Being humiliated and its consequences
When something has been humbled, it has been lowered in condition or importance. It has less dignity. A person who has been humbled has had his power reduced.
The former stature of the neighborhood as the best in town was humbled when most of its homes stood empty for several months. The lawns and gardens became overgrown, making all of the other houses look bad as well.
The mayor's family was humbled when they lost all their money in an illegal investment scheme. They had to sell their posh cars and move out of their mansion.
Living in humble circumstances
People with little money and few possessions live in humble circumstances. For example, priests and nuns, who take a vow of poverty, live in small, plain rooms and have few or no personal possessions. A person might humble himself to request a favor from a powerful person, such as his boss.
The local librarian never married and lived in humble circumstances in a tiny house on the edge of town. Citizens were shocked when she died and left a large fortune to build a new library.
John knew he would have to humble himself in front of his boss and ask for forgiveness for his mistakes in order to get his old job back.
Domande da interrogazione
- What does it mean to be repentant?
- How does indifference relate to remorse?
Being repentant involves feeling upset and guilty over a wrong committed, leading to a sense of remorse for one's actions, as illustrated by Lisa and Jacob's experiences.
Indifference involves a lack of concern for others' suffering, resulting in no remorse, unlike those who feel guilty and experience pangs of conscience, as seen in Peter and Betty's contrasting attitudes.