"trying every possible means"
"Blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in, and then all Israel will be saved." —Romans 11:25-26
St. John Chrysostom taught: "God attached so much importance to [man's] salvation that He did not spare His own Son for the sake of man. Nor does He ever cease to work, trying every possible means, until He has raised man up to Himself and made him sit at His right hand" (Catechism, 358). The Lord uses every means to call us to conversion. For example, by the Jews' "transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles" (Rm 11:11). Moreover, the conversion of the Gentiles is "to stir Israel to envy" (Rm 11:11) "and save some of them" (Rm 11:14). Because the Lord wants all saved (1 Tm 2:4), the Lord wants to bring us to conversion through joys, sorrows, birth, death, health, sickness, marriage, divorce, victories, failures, peace, rejection, hopes, loneliness, etc.
List three significant events of this week. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth (Jn 16:13) that the Lord is using these events to lead you to a deeper conversion. Don't complain about what is happening in your life, but say with Mary: "I am the slave of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to Your word" (Lk 1:38, our transl). Rejoice even "to suffer the distress of many trials" (1 Pt 1:6), "because you are achieving faith's goal, your salvation" (1 Pt 1:9). "All that matters is that one is created anew" (Gal 6:15).
Prayer: Father, make me "all things to all men in order to save" (1 Cor 9:22) "as many as possible" (1 Cor 9:19).
Promise: "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." —Lk 14:11
Praise: Anne began to realize how her heaviest burden in life was having a transformative effect upon her.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our book Conversion-Conversations.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 20, 2015
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