"Rend your heart and not only your garments." (Joel 2:13)
The Hebrew practice of "kriah," rending or tearing one's garments, was done in times of distress as a token of suffering grief or sorrow. It was also a sign of remorse and repentence. However, this public display of tearing one's clothing could easily be done as a pure formality - or even hypocritically. Thus, the Prophet Joel called for the people to not only rend clothing, but more importantly their heart as a true sign of contrition. "A broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise."(Psalm 51:17)
Fr. John
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