Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose,
Saturday, January 25th, was the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. This is the only conversion of a saint that we celebrate during the liturgical year.
We are all familiar with the story of Saul the Pharisee. He was violently anti-Christian. He saw this religion as a threat to his own, so he persecuted Christians wholeheartedly. He was even present at the stoning of Saint Stephen, the first martyr for the Christian Faith.
The one day on his way to arrest Christians in Damascus, Saul is thrown down and he hears the voice of God asking, “Saul, why do you persecute Me?” Saul is confused and he has been blinded.
Saul is taken into Damascus, where he is introduced to a Christian named Ananias.  Ananias reluctantly teaches Saul about Jesus.  Saul sees the light of truth, he accepts Jesus as Lord, and his sight is restored. He takes the Greek version of his name, so Saul is now known as Paul.
Paul becomes a most ardent follower of Jesus.  He begins to preach the Good News of the Christian Faith which he formerly persecuted.  And his great adventure as an Apostle begins.
It all began with conversion, an accepting of the Truth, a willingness to believe, a saying Yes to the Lord Jesus!
At some point in our life of Faith, all of us must convert. For most of us this happens over a period of time. It is so gentle and quiet an acceptance that we hardly notice it. For others it is a dramatic encounter with the truth that Jesus is Lord. It can be so profound that we can remember the day and the hour that Jesus broke through our complacency and we began to believe!
Loving God is a choice.  Following Jesus is a choice.  Living our Catholic Faith is a choice.  The Lord reminds us in the book of Deuteronomy that He sets before us life and death. Then He encourages us to choose life!
Who wouldn’t choose life? Well, the choice is not always so clear. Sometimes it is like that game where you get to choose a present.  The temptation is to take the biggest and most beautiful package.  But often when we unwrap that, we find something unwanted, a joke, a false gift. Sometimes the real gift is plain and unadorned.  We must pray to God to help us to choose correctly.
Conversion is a continuing process.  It is a choice that we make every day or even many times during a day.  It is the choice to follow Jesus.
Deuteronomy 30:19
. . .I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life. . .
Msgr. Cox

Conversion on the way to Damascus Caravaggio (1601)