33.9 F
Saint Paul
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Holy Spirit plays great part in the conversion process

Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit

Lent is a time for us to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gos­pel, a time of conversion.

The Holy Spirit is the divine force in the conversion process. As we con­tinue our journey through this holy season, it is most worthwhile to approach the Holy Spirit in prayer to request divine assistance.

Many gifts of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit orients us toward goodness and truth, holiness and virtue.

The Holy Spirit helps to form our conscience, and gives us a healthy sense of right from wrong.

- Advertisement -

When we sin, the Holy Spirit pricks our conscience.

When we sin, the Holy Spirit gives us that troubled, unsettled, uncomfortable, queasy feeling.

The Holy Spirit disarms our self-deception and lies.

The Holy Spirit moves us to face our sins.

The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see our wrongdoing.

The Holy Spirit enables us to make an examination of conscience.

The Holy Spirit gives us the humility, the honesty and the courage to admit our sins.

The Holy Spirit helps us to be remorseful.

The Holy Spirit enables us to have a genuine sense of sorrow, sadness and regret for the wrong we have done.

The Holy Spirit gives us the impulse to turn away from sin and quit our wrongdoing.

The Holy Spirit helps us to trust in God’s infinite mercy.

Seeking the sacrament

The Holy Spirit moves us to humbly approach God for pardon.

The Holy Spirit helps us to have faith in the healing power of the sacrament of reconciliation.

The Holy Spirit moves a person to seek absolution for their sins.

The Holy Spirit propels the sinner to go to church to approach the sacrament.

The Holy Spirit strengthens a person to get up from their pew or chair, to take their place in line, and wait for their turn for confession.

The Holy Spirit enables a person to open the door to the confessional, to kneel down behind the screen, or take a place in the chair across from the confessor.

The Holy Spirit empowers a person to speak his or her sins out loud.

The Holy Spirit provides wise counsel and advice.

The Holy Spirit enables a person to offer an Act of Contrition.

A new beginning

The Holy Spirit imparts forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit grants consolation and peace.

The Holy Spirit restores joy.

The Holy Spirit enables a person to start over again.

The Holy Spirit guides a person in the paths of holiness and righteousness.

When it comes to our sins, we are ­helpless and hopeless without the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Let us turn to the Holy Spirit with faith and confidence and ask for the help that we so desperately need.

The Holy Spirit is the one who makes it possible for us to “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.

 


Related Articles

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Trending

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
12,743FansLike
1,478FollowersFollow
6,479FollowersFollow
35,922FollowersFollow
583SubscribersSubscribe
- Advertisement -