Sunday, March 6, 2016

Conversion

Many people often think that to "convert" means to change religion.  However, there is another meaning for conversion.  To "convert" means to change your heart.  Europe is a country that was once Christian.  Today, they are Christian in name only or what Pope Francis calls as "baptized non-Christians."  Pope Francis commanded the NCW to continue to evangelize non-Christians and baptized Christians (who are in name only).  According to Pope Francis on March 6, 2015: 
These communities, called by the Bishops, are formed by a priest and four or five families, with children including grown-up ones, and are a "missio ad gentes", with a mandate to evangelize non-Christians. Non-Christians who’ve never heard about Jesus Christ and the many non-Christians who’ve forgotten who Jesus Christ was, who is Jesus Christ: baptized non-Christians but who have forgotten their faith because of secularization, worldliness and many other things. Re-awaken that faith!
Pope Francis' Speech to the NCW

Christianity has decreased in Europe due to secularization.  Many who claim to be Catholics are Catholics in "name" only.  Therefore, they also need to be re-evangelized because we are called to imitate Christ, to follow in His footsteps, and to be holy.  A true Christian is a follower of Christ.  The following article speaks about what it means to convert:

.- In his Sunday Angelus address Pope Francis said that merely obeying the rules isn’t enough to make us holy, but that if we truly want to serve God our conversion has to be deeper, changing the heart.

“It's not exterior things which make us holy or not holy, but it's the heart that expresses our intentions, our choices and the desire to do everything out of love for God,” the Pope told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 30.

“External attitudes are the consequence of what we have decided in the heart, not the contrary: with external attitudes, if the heart doesn't change, we aren't true Christians.”

Pope Francis based his reflections on the day’s Gospel reading from Mark, in which the scribes and Pharisees criticized Jesus and his disciples for not following the tradition of “purifying” themselves by washing their hands before meals or when coming from the market.

Jesus’ response that “you disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition” has a strong prophetic tone that fills us with admiration for him, the Pope said.

“We feel that in him there is truth and that his wisdom frees us from prejudice,” he noted, but cautioned that Jesus’ words aren’t aimed for just the Pharisees, but are also meant to put us on guard.

With these words Jesus warns against the belief that a simple external observance of the law is enough to be considered a good Christian, he said.

“As then with the Pharisees, there is also the danger for us to consider ourselves good, or better than others based on the simple fact that we obey the rules, the customs, even if we don't love our neighbor, we are hard of heart, superior and proud,” Francis observed.

The literal observance of the rules is “sterile” unless the heart also changes in a visible way, seen through concrete attitudes such as being open to an encounter with God and his word, pursuing justice and peace, and helping the poor, the weak and the oppressed, he continued.

Francis said that that the harm done to the Church by “those people who say they are very Catholic and go to church often, but after, in their daily lives, within the family, talk badly about others,” is well-known within our communities, parishes and neighborhoods.

 This, he said, “is what Jesus condemns, because this is a counter-Christian witness.”

Pope Francis then pointed to Jesus’ declaration in the Gospel passage that “nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile,” saying his words signal a deeper aspect of Christian life.

What Jesus underlines is the “primacy of interiority, of the heart,” the Pope noted, adding that the line between good and evil doesn't pass outside of us, “but within us.”

Francis then encouraged attendees to question themselves on their own internal state by asking where their heart is at.

Jesus, he noted, “said that your treasure is where your heart is. What is my treasure? Is it Jesus and his doctrine?”

“The heart must be purified and converted,” the Pope continued, adding that without a pure heart, “you can't truly have clean hands and lips which speak sincere words of love, mercy and forgiveness. Only a sincere and pure heart is able to do this.”

Pope Francis concluded his speech by praying that Mary would intercede in helping to obtain for them “a clean heart, free from every hypocrisy.”

After leading pilgrims in the traditional Marian prayer, the Pope drew attention to the beatification of Syro-Catholic bishop Flavien-Michel Malké, who was killed in 1915 amid the Ottoman Empire's genocide against its Christian minorities.

The bishop was declared “Blessed” yesterday during a special liturgy celebrated by Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Patriarch of Antioch, at the convent of Our Lady of Deliverance in Harissa, Lebanon.

In the context of a brutal persecution against Christians, the bishop “was a tireless defender of the rights of his people, urging all to remain firm in the faith,” the Pope said, noting how even today Christians are still persecuted worldwide.

Bishop Malké’s beatification inspired “consolation, courage and hope” in those who suffer because of their faith, he said. He expressed his desire that the beatification would serve as “a stimulus for legislators and government leaders, so that religious freedom is ensured everywhere, and for the international community, that it put an end to violence and abuse.”

Pope Francis officially approved of Bishop Malké’s martyrdom during an Aug. 8 meeting with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. His beatification fell on the 100th anniversary of his martyrdom.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-conversion-isnt-just-an-appearance-its-a-matter-of-the-heart-71699/

9 comments:

  1. "Baptized non-Christians"???

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 8:23 pm,

      According to the Pope's speech, "baptized non-Christians" are those who have forgotten their faith because of secularization, worldliness and many other things. He told the NCW to "Re-awaken their faith!" These are the Christians in name only.

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    2. How wonderful that the NCW can tell which ones are the "baptized non-Christians". Isn't it great that we can have such a awesome group of people who can completely forget the injunction "judge not, lest ye be judged"? Truly a gift.

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 1:22 am,

      That is not a judgment. The truth came from Pope Francis himself. Surely, you are aware that there are Catholics who support abortion, same sex marriage, the death penalty, etc. The Pope already told the NCW to evangelize non-Christians and to re-awaken the faith of those who are baptized non-Christians. If you read the article in the OP, the article stated:

      "Francis said that that the harm done to the Church by “those people who say they are very Catholic and go to church often, but after, in their daily lives, within the family, talk badly about others,” is well-known within our communities, parishes and neighborhoods."

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  2. Diana, these are your own words: DianaMarch 4, 2016 at 12:23 PM

    "The Mass is not the heart of evangelization. The Mass serves as a conversion process."

    You also said this: DianaMarch 4, 2016 at 8:03 PM

    "By conversion, I was not referring to the Catholic religion. Conversion means a change of heart."

    What? The mass is conversion, but conversion is not referring to the Catholic faith? That is what you are saying? How this can be?! You truly don't seem to have a grasp of what you are talking about. You want to change the heart of people at the mass, but not the Catholic mass? What kind of mass are you talking about? Isn't the neo mass Catholic?

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 12:29 pm,

      You obviously misunderstood what I said. By conversion, I was not referring to the Catholic religion. Conversion means a change of heart. The OP says exactly what I meant.

      Many people often think that to "convert" means to change religion. However, there is another meaning for conversion. To "convert" means to change your heart. Did you read the article I posted on what Pope Francis says about conversion?

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    2. No, Diana, I did not misunderstand you. You said "the Mass serves as a conversion process." This does not make sense! Even you admitted: "By conversion, I was not referring to the Catholic religion." Then what kind of mass were you referring to??

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 3:42 pm,

      The Mass serves as a conversion because people can convert (change their heart) after hearing the word of God.

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  3. From the Opening Post (OP): "The literal observance of the rules is “sterile” unless the heart also changes in a visible way, seen through concrete attitudes such as being open to an encounter with God and his word, pursuing justice and peace, and helping the poor, the weak and the oppressed, he continued."

    Pope Francis is calling for social justice that must be attained by fierce fighting and social action! This is a fundamental duty of the Catholic church. Those who shy away from fighting for justice and disdain social action must change their hearts. There is no true conversion happening until the poor remains poor and the oppression of the weak continues.

    "Francis said that that the harm done to the Church by “those people who say they are very Catholic and go to church often, but after, in their daily lives, within the family, talk badly about others,” is well-known within our communities, parishes and neighborhoods."

    Francis did not say these people are non-Christian. They cause harm to the church when they take their faith lightly but they are still Christians, baptized in the name of Jesus. How can you undo baptism, Diana?

    "Pope Francis said that merely obeying the rules isn’t enough to make us holy, but that if we truly want to serve God our conversion has to be deeper, changing the heart."

    Obeying the rule, the CCC, the chuch documents and whatnot won't make you a true Christian. I am always amazed when the CCC is cited as ultimate authority. Dead papers have not authority. The only authority is Jesus Christ. Conversion is when you turn toward Christ with your heart and mind.

    Conversion is when you do not oppress the widow and the orphan, the weak and the lonely. Conversion is when justice and righteousness prevails.

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