Today, I share an article by our friend, the late Father Kilian McGowan. He left a wonderful amount of spiritual guidance for us lay folk!-----
How many times have you heard someone say: "I wish that I could be a different person." You may have thought, or even said, the same thing to yourself. Life could be much easier if you could change certain of your characteristics. A change wouldn't hurt at all.
The encouraging fact is that you CAN become a totally different person. You can become a new man or woman from your very roots by being transformed from above. A supernatural transformation of yourself from within is possible-if you let God remake your personality.
In fact, your conversion begins with a determined desire to become a new person in Christ. It takes a wholehearted readiness for a complete change.
This desire for a change is your conscious response to the challenge of your Baptism. Baptism began a lifetime process of dying to self and living unto God. You put this process into high gear by such a desire.
Maybe you would like to be made-over, but you're not willing to pay the price. You must be disposed for total conversion-a complete change of heart. That's what Our Lord wants from you-the sincere readiness to let Him make you over according to His pattern.
The response of all too many to this invitation of Our Blessed Lord is cautious, conditional and calculating. Don't hedge and procrastinate like them! They're willing to go so far and no further-to give so much and no more. They measure all too carefully their surrender to the ways of God. They want to follow Christ, but only on their terms. You must be different!
The sincere readiness for a change places no conditions on God. It means you surrender completely to Christ's action on your soul. You must place yourself in God's hand for remolding. His Hands are tied unless you give Him the material with which to work. This is the first step of one's transformation into Christ-to give Him "a free Hand."
We find this readiness to change in the lives of the Saints. They kept placing themselves and their lives in the hands of God asking Him to take over. If anything, this disposition increased with their progress in holiness. Their lives were more of a surrender to God than a conquest of self. Of course, the two really are inseparable.
This readiness to change should be a lifelong thing. Unless we are pliable and moldable in the hands of God, there can be no continued spiritual progress. It's our way of telling Our Lord that He can change us any way He wishes, and how He wishes.
To say with so many of the saints, "Lord, what would you have me do" is no small thing. But far better to say with the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Be it done to me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38)
How many times have you heard someone say: "I wish that I could be a different person." You may have thought, or even said, the same thing to yourself. Life could be much easier if you could change certain of your characteristics. A change wouldn't hurt at all.The encouraging fact is that you CAN become a totally different person. You can become a new man or woman from your very roots by being transformed from above. A supernatural transformation of yourself from within is possible-if you let God remake your personality.
In fact, your conversion begins with a determined desire to become a new person in Christ. It takes a wholehearted readiness for a complete change.
This desire for a change is your conscious response to the challenge of your Baptism. Baptism began a lifetime process of dying to self and living unto God. You put this process into high gear by such a desire.
Maybe you would like to be made-over, but you're not willing to pay the price. You must be disposed for total conversion-a complete change of heart. That's what Our Lord wants from you-the sincere readiness to let Him make you over according to His pattern.
The response of all too many to this invitation of Our Blessed Lord is cautious, conditional and calculating. Don't hedge and procrastinate like them! They're willing to go so far and no further-to give so much and no more. They measure all too carefully their surrender to the ways of God. They want to follow Christ, but only on their terms. You must be different!
The sincere readiness for a change places no conditions on God. It means you surrender completely to Christ's action on your soul. You must place yourself in God's hand for remolding. His Hands are tied unless you give Him the material with which to work. This is the first step of one's transformation into Christ-to give Him "a free Hand."
We find this readiness to change in the lives of the Saints. They kept placing themselves and their lives in the hands of God asking Him to take over. If anything, this disposition increased with their progress in holiness. Their lives were more of a surrender to God than a conquest of self. Of course, the two really are inseparable.
This readiness to change should be a lifelong thing. Unless we are pliable and moldable in the hands of God, there can be no continued spiritual progress. It's our way of telling Our Lord that He can change us any way He wishes, and how He wishes.
To say with so many of the saints, "Lord, what would you have me do" is no small thing. But far better to say with the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Be it done to me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38)
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Love and Blessings, Wendy C.
"Healing Mind, Body & Soul"
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Guidance by our friend the late Fr. Kilian McGowan. Head over here for a life changing experience...our gift!