A Conversion of Heart

3 quick reflection points for today!

1. The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Saint Paul underwent one of the most dramatic conversions of anyone in the Scriptures. He went from killing Christians, to becoming one of Christ's most influential advocates. Traditional artwork depicts his powerful moment of transformation as literally knocking him off a horse whilst he was on one of his journey's of persecution. He immediately repented and dedicated the rest of his life to preaching peace, love, and that the name of Jesus Christ was to be honoured and revered above every other name. Our own conversions may not have been so dramatic but they are still important. In fact, everyday it is good to repent and reorder our lives towards Christ, turning away from evil and turning back towards the good.

2. Constant conversion towards Christ will ultimately have the effect of uniting us with a common purpose and breaking down any barriers of division, regardless of nationality, creed, gender, etc. And this is why the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul marks the end, or the culmination of the week of prayer for Christian Unity. What a scandal it is that Christ's body here on earth is so divided. While we may not, in our lifetimes, be able to surmount the differences that keep Christian churches apart, we may at least be able to work together with each other, not focusing on our differences, to bring the love of Christ more powerfully into this world.

3. Finally, today in Canada is a national day to raise awareness for mental illness, also known popularly these days as Bell Let's Talk. I mention this because it is both an issue close to my heart but also one not entirely unrelated to my previous two points on conversion and unity. In a time when mental illness and its effects seem to be on the rise in the form of suicide, addiction, and many other tragedies, it is increasingly important to not only be aware of mental illness but be actively engaged in helping those who suffer find help. Conversion in this sense means to learn and understand what mental illness is so as to break down the stigmas that surround it. It is not a weakness or a personality defect and someone cannot simply "get over it" or "snap out of it." Unity around mental illness means that it is not about an us vs. them, healthy vs. sick, but a "we." We are all in this journey of life together and it is essential that we work together to overcome anything and everything that divides us. Division leads to loneliness, which leads to many succumbing to the disease of mental illness.

We pause today and pray: what part of our heart needs converting? With whom do we need to be more united? And how can I reach out with more compassion?