SubscribeDedication to Jesus
I recently stumbled into the following prayer from St. Ignatius Loyola, called the Dedication to Jesus. It think that it perfectly summarizes the ideal Christian attitude — the kind of submission and obedience that God looks for from each of us.
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom,
my memory, my understanding, and my will.
All that I have and cherish You have given me.
I surrender it all to be guided by Your will.
Your grace and Your love are wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more.Amen.
Integrity
I’m not exactly sure what the official Merriam-Webster definition for the word integrity is, but I know what it means to me. To me, integrity means doing what you know is right, without compromise.
We Catholics are very fortunate to have a huge selection of saints to study — men and women who embody this integrity. Of course we all strive to follow Christ. That is our ultimate goal. But for those of us who need a practical example of someone living a life for and with Christ, we can turn to the saints to inspire us.
Most often when talking about St. Francis of Assisi, people mention poverty, penance, and charity. On the surface, these are definitely good descriptors for the legacy that St. Francis left for us. But looking deeper, I see a man who lived the gospel as he was called — with integrity. St. Francis did God’s will — without compromise.
I pray for the ability to live my life with a similar zeal, and I strive to serve God with this same integrity.
Conversion
For me, the word conversion has developed a deeper meaning over the years. When I first felt called to become Catholic, I considered that to be the beginning of my conversion. When I joined RCIA, I considered that to be the actual work of my conversion. Finally, when I was baptized and confirmed, I considered myself to actually be a convert – my conversion was complete.
It was as though conversion was some sort of an accomplishment. Completion of RCIA was, for me, too much like a graduation ceremony.
In the years following my formal entrance into Holy Mother Church, I began to read biographies of several saints. I started to notice a common thread in the lives of many of them. While some, like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Ignatius of Loyola, did have powerful conversion experiences that changed their lives, these experiences were just the beginning of a lifelong conversion process.
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady’s upcoming feast day on February 11 has given me cause for some reflection. The Blessed Virgin Mary has played an integral role in the strengthening of my faith as I continue my conversion.
Toward the end of my atheist years, I began to feel some sort of calling. Eventually, this calling led me to explore Christianity in more detail. I was never really sure why, but I knew that I wanted to learn more. Initially, I felt much more drawn to some of the Protestant churches. They seemed much more – modern. Most of them played fairly upbeat music, and some of them even let you have coffee during the service!
What was bothering me though, was the vast number of denominations that I had to choose from. They all had different approaches, slightly different beliefs or interpretations, and there was enough inconsistency among them to make me want to abandon this inquiry altogether. I slowly began to realize that having coffee and listening to rock music sure sounded nice, but what really mattered most to me was truth. I realized that consistent theological and moral teaching since the time of Jesus was the number one most important thing to me in a faith.
St. John Bosco
“There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips.”
St. John Bosco, otherwise known as Don Bosco, or St. Giovanni Melchior Bosco in Italian, was a very inspirational man. His life was accompanied by many miracles, marvels, and spiritual graces. While those graces are definite attention getters, what truly makes him special are the many ways in which he imitated Christ in his mission of caring for boys who were otherwise condemned. He possessed an admirable spiritual integrity, which is found so often in the saints of the Catholic Church.
