The joy of conversion, Christian community, and the Catholic faith
Over the years. as we read and think about the life of Jesus and the sequence of events of his three years of ministry, we can see a line of order. The question can come to us. Where are you and I in these events? Do we want to be a disciple (student) of Jesus? Do we want to learn from him and see how the Holy Spirit is empowering us to continue God’s work in the lives of those around us?
“I discovered Mary’s place in my life and in the church quite late into my life-long conversion as a Catholic. I had an amazing renewal experience that made me more alive in my faith and I began to be more active in the church in Bible Studies, marriage enrichment, as a eucharistic minister and at daily Mass. I began paying attention to what I accepted in my head but never got to my heart, like the importance of Mary. It was a gradual process, with a surprising vision one day. My husband and I . . .were in Tampa, FL. I went to Mass at noon . . . at historic Sacred Heart Church . . . I wrote about it on my blog in The loving glance of Jesus.”
I wanted to be part of that original church, to be in close relationship with Jesus like those kneeling, receiving his body and blood as often as they could, to know about saints and martyrs who went before us in faith. I wanted an Everyday Church, not just a Sunday-go-to-meetin’ Church. I wasn’t looking to be entertained. I was looking for Jesus on the altar, every day. I wanted to be part of that history and understand the world-wide, beautiful traditions.
I hope you had an exciting and joyful week getting to know Jesus better and wanting to follow him. We are three days away from another remembrance of the first coming to Earth of God’s Son to save and redirect the human race back to God. God had spoken to various key people during two thousand years of Jewish history since the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, yet the messages did not get through to humans clearly enough. So the Son of God had to come to earth himself, taking on our human nature except for the consequences of the sin of Adam and Eve. He came to speak to us person-to-person and to thousands, as a human person, while he lived on earth for thirty-three years. Many Christians lose the significance of his first coming because this day has been so commercialized with Christmas presents. As faithful followers of Jesus, we celebrate Christmas, Jesus’ first coming, with some degree of joy.
For a limited time, get in on this amazing deal! Purchase Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies paperback and get the Kindle version free December 18-21. Just click on the Amazon sales link below and buy the paperback. Order the book for yourself or send it to a close friend or loved one.
When you receive your notice that Amazon has shipped the book, forward that email to nancyhcward@verizon.net. Include the name and email address of the person you want to receive a redemption link that can be redeemed for the Kindle version. For each paperback book you buy, you will receive a redemption link for the free Kindle version. Limit 5 books.
We are more than halfway through Advent. Our celebration and remembrance of Christ’s birth is only 10 days away. For me, my greatest joy is that Jesus is still with us. he did go back to heaven in his glorified body at the Ascension. For some, he is gone from us. That is “fake news.” For others, Jesus promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world,” Matthew 28:20c. He also told us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” Matthew 11:28-30. When we look at the facts in our four gospels and our nearly two thousand years of Catholic tradition, Jesus is still daily present in spiritual ways all over the world and his loving power flows through his sacraments and our prayer lives to us
Three posts this week: I discovered our joyful duty of passing it on. As Pope Paul VI wrote: Here lies the test of truth, the touchstone of evangelization: it is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word and give himself to the kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it and proclaims it in his turn. Then, In Bread Upon the Waters, Deanna Klingel tells the true story of Father Tien Duong, a Catholic priest who grew up in the strife and hardship of Communist Vietnam. The biography is filled with incredible personal stories told to Deanna during her long hours with Fr. Tien. Fr. Bob Hilz teaches us that the Eucharistic Liturgy, the Mass, is the clearest source of God-power in our life. The liturgy, in the scriptures, teaches us how to live a good Godly life on earth and provides us the energy and power to do that.
One beautiful Sunday morning on Jon Leonetti in The Morning, I talked on Iowa Catholic Radio about my hesitancy to evangelize. I had six minutes to share what God did to bring me to become an author and speaker who equips other Catholics to evangelize through their personal witness. Even if you are a movie star, politician or orator, people can refute your logic, but they can’t refute your experience. That’s why stories are so important.
The main thing is to talk about what God has done, not what you’ve done. That’s the mistake a lot of people make. They want to talk about their own accomplishments – that’s the world. We want to talk about what God has done in our lives. That’s where people really will listen.