When John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus realized he needed to make a dramatic shift in the course of his life. No longer could he anonymously practise his faith and let others lead. With John’s arrest Jesus realized he had to step up and take hold of the tiller. He continues John's message, preaching that we must repent for the kingdom of heaven is very close to us. To repent means and is sometimes translated as turning away from sin. All of us are called to repentance. For most of us repenting does not usually require drastic changes of course in our lives, unless something really unexpected comes upon us. More often repentance simply means paying attention to the shifting, changing situations of our lives and making subtle adjustments so we stay close to the kingdom of heaven.

Francis de Sales counsels that when we repent, we usually best make these subtle changes, by practicing the little virtues. There is nothing more agreeable to God than our perseverance in the practise of seemingly insignificant little virtues such as hospitality, charity and humility. If we persevere in them, these little virtues will render us more perfect than do the greater virtues like magnanimity because we have such few opportunities to practise them. It is not necessary that we be attentive to practising many little virtues; that would be too perplexing and hamper our thoughts and affections. Humility and charity are the mainstays; all the other ropes are attached to them.