[karend61]

i was hoping you all could help me understand 'conversion'.


why are we always asked for conversion? i thought, in my simple little mind, that once you are a catholic and you practice the faith, you are converted. but i believe there is more depth to it than that. could someone enlighten me so i can understand and truly 'convert' my ways as our lady asks.
thanks so much!

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

To me, it's the Catholic version of being born again.

It can be slow in coming, or it can be sudden - as in St. Paul's conversion - but to me it's the sudden realization
that everything you've been doing and taught in the Catholic faith is true and the desire to grow in faith becomes
huge. Along with it is the realization of all you've done wrong and all the pain that has caused. It's a time of
sorrow, and Confession, and prayer, and fasting, and healing, and joy and awe and ... and it's ongoing. The
Mass takes on a whole deeper meaning - every word of each prayer - the lyrics to the hymns you know so well
suddenly come to life. You realize the Host is Jesus and the altar is surrounded by angels and the Saints are
really listening and there to intercede for us, and the Blessed Mother is the Queen of Heaven and Earth and her
Son is our Savior and loves us unconditionally.

[marjie]

Conversion is ongoing, it means changing, we become Christian, and as truths are revealed, sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly, our faith develops, it is an ongoing process, bringing us closer to God>

For instance, I was baptised as a Catholic and always believed in God, but I didn't know a personal God, in fact I prayed to God in heaven not knowing that he is within, until after a trauma, I felt this amazing peace helping me, supporting me and I knew that this was the peace of God. I knew in an instant that he was closer to me than myself, and it changed my life forever. When this happened to me, I had been so desperate not knowing where to turn, I cried out to God, and he touched my heart.

You can ask the Lord to show you he is real, give your life to him, and ask for forgiveness of your sins, be truly sorry for your sins, and he will reveal himself to you. It can be in a simple way, like looking at the sky and it seems different, brighter warmer and you experience a peace, and you know that there is a God.

Hope you can understand this and that it may help you in some way.

Marjie