Cradle Catholic, or convert? It’s another one of those
false binaries that work their way into our understandings; either-this-or-that,
dividing people into two groups, one or the other. Both confer a lasting status, which may or
may not reflect anything about the person’s current reality.
One of my favorite
activities is working with the people who are interested in entering the Communion
of the Catholic Church. Early on, I
introduce them to the concept that conversion
is not a process which one must undergo to emerge a Christian, done, like a
biscuit out the oven. Thus, the designation
“a convert” does not really work; it gives the impression of a finished
product. Conversion, rather, is the defining characteristic of the Christian
life.
Conversion means a
turning (version) toward or with (con-).
Toward what or whom is one turning?
The answer is clearly Jesus, God.
A turning away is implicit in
the action as well: from what, or
whom? Away from false gods, from selfishness,
from sin. Turning toward life, turning
away from death. Turning toward truth;
turning away from falsehood, from lies, and from facades.
The Gospel, the Good
News of Jesus Christ, is that our God does not remain hidden and distant, but
reveals himself in His Son, and comes to dwell among us. The life and ministry of the Lord presents a
series of encounters in which Jesus, God, engages people, revealing something
of Himself, and revealing something about them.
Each encounter is an invitation, but to what? Conversion.
Turn toward Him; change your life, leave something behind, move toward
Him.
Those who respond,
those who follow, those who convert most fully and dramatically – are they done?
Look at the lives of the Apostles and the answer is clearly No. Their change has only begun. Because they turn, because they follow, they
will again and again experience the invitation, face the challenge, and have
the opportunity to turn toward the Lord and away from something to which they clung. Conversion is a continuing disposition, not a
once-and-done effort.
This season, Lent, the
Church announces to the world that she is made up entirely of sinners in need
of conversion. The Church announces this
to me and to you, reminding us what are the conditions for eligibility for
membership in her body. If we do not
acknowledge ourselves as sinners in need of conversion, then membership has
nothing to offer us.
If we were not capable
of conversion, if we did not have the capacity to change, and for God by His
grace to change us, the Church would simply be a mutually congratulatory society
celebrating one another’s unique specialness: oh, look how God made you!
But as wonderfully as God created man, He even more
marvelously re-creates us, through Christ our Lord, by His Passion, Death, Resurrection,
and Ascension. This mystery, the mystery
of Christ’s passing-over from death into life, and our own passing over, is our
hope and our goal.
To reach this goal, for
God to fulfill our hope, requires our participation, our preparation. We must look up from what preoccupies us,
look away from our own desires and needs and preferences, and look for Him Who
comes. Yes Lord, I do believe; please help my unbelief! Mk 9:24
He will do so much for us, if
only we can move ourselves to turn, turn toward Him, turn to hear Him, turn to
recognize Him; turn to ask for mercy, turn to receive mercy; turn to follow Him,
turn to live with Him. The constant call
to conversion is also the call to holiness.
False dichotomies are
dangerous when they hide from us the reality that two things are not mutually
exclusive, but in fact go together. Both cradle Catholics and those who have
converted in the past stand in need of conversion. Thank God there’s Lent!
Monsignor Smith
