Continual Conversion

“Whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.”

This quotation from today’s second reading is one of my favorites, so special to me that I decided to tattoo it on my arm. It is one of my favorite tattoo’s because it is a permanent reminder that I am called to be a saint on a daily basis.

I had a problem with testimonies growing up because they all seemed to be similar. They would typically start with a life of sin, there would be one moment of conversion that would change everything, and from then faith came easy. I didn’t like them mainly because I could not relate to this experience.

Maybe it’s my personality, but I have always been someone who has related more with small and consistent progress as opposed to one large event. I remember a time I got super motivated to eat healthier and went to Whole Foods and spent about $70 on a head of lettuce and some multivitamins. I got super intense and tried too much at once and ended up getting physically sick. Apparently changing from taco bell to lettuce immediately was just as much a shock to my body as consistently eating taco bell.

I found quickly that taking on too much too quick was not attainable and it has been this way in my spiritual life as well. Now don’t get me wrong, we all need a big wake up moment at times. But one of the main reasons I was in seminary with the TOR Franciscans is because St. Francis was all about constant conversion.

I know that I have been made new through my baptism, but the power of baptism and the grace from God work on a daily basis. Every day I have the choice to activate that grace in my life and do small things with great love. Consistent small acts then build and become larger as time goes on.

“Whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.”

When I re-read this quote I am thankful for my baptism, but I am also thankful that I am made new every day through the grace of God that works constantly and consistently.

Lent is the perfect time to make grace visible through our good works. By fasting, serving, and loving, the grace we received at baptism is activated in such a way that people can see God working. That starts to change our world. What God is asking me is, “How have you been made new today through my grace and how will that change others?” Perhaps he is asking you the same. From all of us here at Diocesan, God Bless!