Willingness to Begin Again

“Holiness does not consist in not making mistakes or never sinning. Holiness grows with capacity for conversion, repentance, willingness to begin again.” Pope Benedict XVI

Recently, I was at Mass near my parents’ house and the beginning of Mass was devoted to the introduction of Catechumens. My first reaction was to roll my eyes and wait for it to be over. I thought it would be a long mass. However, after Mass I realized what beauty is happening here, in the middle of scandals, a society that resents the Church and the many other obstacles, people are still looking for faith. We do not know why they are choosing Catholicism and how God might have called them. My friends in the Carmel Cloister reminded me that we are not to 'convert' people to the Catholic Church but to love their salvation. This changes things. We are not on a recruitment binge, but we are here to witness. They must see something that would attract them. We need to change our focus.

“Heaven is filled with converted sinners of all kinds, and there is room for more. St. Joseph Cafasso

Two saints who come to my mind immediately are St. Paul who was struck by lightning and St. Dismas who died on his own cross beside Jesus. I don’t think these types of conversions would be so common among us, but conversion still happens. The reality is that it happens slowly and through much prayer. St. Edith Stein converted and became a nun, and she died in a concentration camp. St. John Henry Newman left the Anglican Church and entered the Catholic Church. These were no easy struggles for either of them. There have been many saints who entered the Church, yet they all were someone else before that moment. I have helped with the RCIA in my parish and each person has a story to share.

“Oh, how much I love to suffer for Our Lord and Our Lady. They greatly love those who suffer for the conversion of sinners.” St. Jacinta Marto

We do not know the road ahead of us. It would be great to know or maybe it would not. In any case, we know that each one of us, even cradle Catholics, need conversion. Our lives cannot stagnate. We are called to a deeper conversion in every moment. There is a challenge ahead of us, and the best we can do is live faithfully, and let God do the rest.

“Know that the greatest service that man can offer to God is to help convert souls.” St. Rose of Lima