Tag: Conversion

Always Finding Treasure

When I first experienced deep personal conversion in my faith, it was a time of great excitement. It really felt like I found treasure and I just wanted everyone to know about it. I read so many books and wrote so many poems and blogs because it was too beautiful not to share. I also slowly stopped listening to secular music and listened to more Christian songs. I realized that all things were made by God and for God including music. I wanted to listen to music that would lift my heart and mind to God and found that only Christian songs did that. I started to appreciate Mass songs more as well. Mass songs are actually the most beautiful. During this conversion, I lost many friends but gained brothers and sisters in Christ. The Lord has truly pruned me and continues to do so (despite my stubbornness).

I need to explore more. I need to empty myself more and pray to God that I may always keep what is true, good, and beautiful in my heart. I want to always be like a child that found the greatest treasure in the world and spend the rest of my life finding and sharing that treasure.

Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, may I never lose enthusiasm and zeal for the faith …for You. Humble me, Lord, and teach me how to pray. Teach me how to love. May everything I learn and experience bring me closer to You. Help me to love you above all things and to follow Your example of love. Forgive me for all my sins, that I may always have Your peace and presence in my heart. May You be glorified always. Amen.

Encounter With a Person

Personal conversion happens when we encounter the person of Jesus Christ. St. Paul, on the road to Damacus, the woman at the well, Mary Magdaline, St. Thomas, and many others. Pope Benedict XVI said, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” When we truly encounter Jesus Christ, we are given a new horizon in life and a decisive direction. If this doesn’t happen, then we haven’t truly encountered and opened our hearts to Him.

We must be careful not to get too caught up with the ethics and lofty ideas of Christianity. This was the downfall of some the Pharisees. Jesus appeals to the core of our being: our hearts. Sometimes I do fall and become like a Pharisee when I’m hard on myself for not understanding certain concepts as well as others, or even when I judge others for not knowing the law. How foolish and arrogant of me to be that way. It is a hardened heart like mine during these times that Jesus opposes.

I must remain focused on the Word before the words, the Person before the books, Jesus Christ. In my weakness, I hope to encounter Him often for a daily conversion because my hardened heart definitely needs that. Oh how I wish I could just go through one life-changing encounter and be set for life. I find that I slip often and I truly need to encounter Him more than once. I think Jesus knew this and is why He created the Church and instituted His Sacraments and why we have sacramentals. He did this so that we can have a daily encounter with Him, truly and fully, with all of His body, blood, soul, and divinity. This daily encounter is what empowers us to live the Christian life with zeal.

My Jesus, I am so unworthy of You. This is why I praise and thank You with all of my heart for giving me a Mother who makes me worthy because of her prayers. In her, may I be able to encounter You and receive all the graces you intend to give me. By the Holy Spirit, may You be in me so much that when others encounter me, they encounter You. Use me Lord as Your instrument to turn peoples hearts back to You, but may that conversion always start in my own heart. Amen,