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It is not rare to find
somebody in a stage of total or partial rejection of God who is
not aware of freely choosing this predicament. Our rejection of
God in a given action can be somehow implicit. We have been
deceived, we have been seduced. None the less, we did reject God,
because nobody can force us to do so. We need to discover the
fallacies we have fallen for, bring to light the deception of
which we have been victims, and become responsible for our own
hearts, for our Faith, Hope and Love, for our lives, for our
actions.
What kind of person we
become is a mystery nobody can comprehend. But we have to take
ourselves seriously and look at ourselves with great respect. By
our actions we shall know our heart. "By their fruits you will
know them. A good tree doesn't bear bad fruits". We know what kind
of a person we are becoming by our behaviour. We should not blame
anybody else for this most important dimension of our selves. "We
are like the one we love". God can bring us life. And only He can
do it. As the fathers said: "Away from God we walk under the
shadow of the non being". Everything around and inside us speaks
of God's invitation to let Him be the Lord of our hearts. We have
to open our eyes and see the deception of evil, and the
faithfulness of God. Sin hurts us. Saint Thomas Aquinas remarks:
"sin hurts God because it hurts us whom He loves". If we look at
ourselves with the eyes of the world we might not see the
destructive power of sin. We do not blame the sufferings and
destruction of our world on sin. We might even blame it all on
God! But if we look at ourselves with the eyes of God and
understand our dignity, the vocation and glory to which God calls
each one of us, then we realize the dreadful evil of sin and we
accept our share of responsibility in the evils and sufferings of
our world. We should believe that with God's power we can win the
world. God can heal us and, in our hearts, turn evil into good.
Will we open our hearts to Him? This is "conversion".
E)
Christian conversion
It is not real
Christian conversion when a young person pushed by a boyfriend,
girlfriend or a loving mother decides to go to Mass or Confession.
After years away from the sacraments, this person gives in to the
tears or pressure of a beloved mother. Still this can be the first
step towards conversion. The Confession can have a positive
influence on them, restore them to the community of faith. They
start to understand God's loving care towards them. There is
greater joy and happiness at home. Little by little they realize
their ingratitude towards God and feel sorry for their wrongdoing.
Some months later they ask to see a priest and with tears in their
eyes make a true general confession. This is a Christian
conversion.
When somebody resolves
to change their lifestyle, to stop gambling or sleeping around and
settle down because of age, different circumstances or simply
because their tastes are changing, this is not real Christian
conversion. Christian conversion is more than moral improvement.
Moral improvement is only the first step on the way of Christian
conversion. Often these new converts expect total perfection in
words and actions from the group or community they join. They can
be intolerant of the weaknesses of others. They can have, in many
areas, a different spirit from Christ's spirit. Indeed, if they do
not allow Christ's Spirit to transform them further, they can be
self righteous, and very un Christian.
In Christian
conversion we see the transforming presence of the Spirit at work
in the human heart. Christian Conversion is "allowing the spirit
of Christ to enter into our wounded, selfish and proud hearts, to
transform us into a new person, in increasing control of our
inordinate tendencies, willing to forgive, wishing to love and
serve our neighbours".
In Christian
conversion there is an inner transformation of the old person's
spirit. We are still the same person but the old spirit does not
prevail over us. The Spirit of Christ prevails and lives in us,
transforming us into a new person, guiding us along the ways of
life. Christian conversion is a process which lasts throughout our
whole life. In this conversion process the Spirit of Christ brings
into the light of our awareness our infirmities and their hidden
roots which are always selfishness and pride. Our faith and hope
in Christ encourages us to stand up and walk with His Spirit along
a new way of life.
Christian conversion
has to be expressed in a new Behaviour. "Be holy, be
sacred, as I am holy, as I am sacred". But this holiness and
sacredness may not be visible at the beginning of the conversion
process and yet the miracle has happened, the Spirit has already
brought us from darkness to light, from death to life. What has to
be present from the very first step of conversion is "allowing the
Spirit of Christ to guide us, changing our egoism into love and
respect for God, putting ourselves at the service and love of
God". "If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself
every day, carry the cross and follow me".
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