The Call: A conversion story

(For those who don’t think Jesus “speaks” to them during adoration.)

(While meditating on the Eucharist during Adoration, 9/8/2023)

Emptiness, loss, feeling of abandonment,

Seeking solace,

Church, the mass, 

Surrounded by strangers.

Movement of Heart, a calling,

Planning to sin, asking God’s grace,

The answer: God intercedes.

He sends people to call me back.

Reconciliation.

But weakened by years of neglect

The conscience fails.

Sin persists.

But the call gets louder.

Others bring the message; a book,

Understanding, renewal of faith,

A partner in prayer, faith and love comes.

Called to teach, the heart grows stronger.

Faith increases.

Opportunities for additional worship arrive.

Faith strengthens, but the evil one still lurks nearby, full of temptations.

Overseas assignment,

Another faith community, choir, solo.

“Take, Lord, receive”,

Understanding grows,

“All I need is your love and your grace,

That’s enough for me.”

Career changes, moving, new activities.

Called to catechesis, ministries, march for life,

New faith communities.

COVID almost closes the door.

BUT, deepening faith through scripture, books, 

EWTN, associations, brotherhood,

Learning to understand and accept, 

“JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU.”

“At the end of the day, we do well to gaze upon the Lord.” Pope Francis, Chrism Mass homily, 2022

“Time spent in honor of God and for the salvation of souls is never badly spent.” St. Padre Pio

“The Church believes that a holy hour spent before the Blessed Sacrament does more good for the well-being of the world than whole days spent in talking about progress to the utter oblivion of the fact that the only true progress consists in the diminution of the traces of original sin; she believes that a penitent returning to God is of far more consequence than the cancellation of war debts; that an increase of sanctifying grace in a soul is of far more value than the increase of international credit; that a group of cloistered nuns in prayer are more effective in preserving world peace than a group of world politicians discussing peace to the forgetfulness of the Prince of Peace.” Fulton Sheen, Lent and Easter Wisdom from Fulton Sheen