Conversion

H/T Livejournal Group catholic_quotes

I learned something a long time ago: I have no control, nor do I want to, over somebody else's mind.

I can't make anybody else do anything.

You know, we get upset sometimes...oh, I don't know why my grandson or my daughter or my nephew or my husband or my wife or my friend or my coworker...they just don't get it...they live like pagans and...hey--if God leaves them free, we've got to leave them free too. God does not put out contracts with hit men to coerce people into loving Him. Doesn't work that way. Leave 'em alone.

You know what I do? I'll tell you what I do. People think, "Oh you must have converted a lot of people, Father." Nope. Never. In 15 years of constant preaching...over a million miles in airplanes...49 states...over 100 dioceses...never converted anybody.

I don't have the POWER to change a heart. Or a mind.

GOD has the power to change a heart. Or a mind. I just show up for work and open my mouth and then He does the rest!

And you have to come to that understanding! You're not going to convert your children! You're NOT! And you're not going to convert your wife or your husband! You CAN'T!

But God can.

What do you have to do? Show up for work.

And what does that mean?

Be patient. And kind. And loving. And be steadfast in the truth. Love your faith. Learn your faith. Live your faith. That's showing up for work.

- Fr. John Corapi

You have to love the quote from one of my all time favorite people, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, posted in response.

Very recently, a young priest told me in conversation: 'I have already made 72 converts in 6 years of my priesthood.' I said: 'I would advise you to stop counting them, otherwise you might think you made them and not God.'

Amazon.com and Fulton Sheen

I went to amazon.com today to buy a book. I'm always buying books and never reading them. But I read about a book written by Fulton Sheen about the priesthood. The reviews all said that you can't leave seminary without reading it. Well, I'm not in seminary (obviously) but the reviews said it was also really good for lay people, so I decided to pick it up. But amazon always gets me on the free shipping, so I decided to pick up another book so I could get the free shipping and 'save money'. On the page of the book I was picking up it recommended getting another book by Fulton Sheen. I read the first page of the book, read the reviews, decided it looked good then decided to pick it up.

I was happy, now I could the free shipping. I went to check out when I realized that I did not qualify for free shipping, indeed now I was $.60 short of the free shipping. So I went to find another book to get. I reviewed my wish list, did some searches on my interests, asked around the house to see if anyone else wanted to buy something. Nothing. So I ended up getting another Fulton Sheen book. The reviews sounded good, so I figured I'd make it a Fulton Sheen trio and give it a shot.

So sometime soon, coming by way of free shipping will be my three Fulton Sheen books; The Priest is Not His Own, Life of Christ, and Way to Happiness: An Inspiring Guide to Peace, Hope and Contentment.

Insecurity

I was going through the posts of Livejournal communities I'm on when I saw this quote on the Catholic Quotes Community.

I guess it really spoke to me today because I'm always so insecure about myself, and I don't want to say jealous of the gifts and talents others because jealous is such a strong and negative word... maybe envious... well you get the idea. And I'm such a fan of Fulton Sheen that it really caught my attention.

God has given different gifts to different people. There is no basis for feeling inferior to another who has a different gift. Once it is realized that we shall be judged by the gift we have received, rather than the gift we have not, one is completely delivered from a false sense of inferiority.

- Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Taking this quote and applying it to myself, I guess the next step is to pinpoint what my gift or gifts are and start appreciating what God has given me.