What is it called when someone is converted by grace without evangelization?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tifischer
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tifischer

Guest
I recall someone using a phrase to describe a conversion where no one was evangelizing them but they converted by God’s grace without evangelization. What is it called when someone is converted by grace without evangelization?
 
Guess I was converted in a similar way. I knew I had been searching and that something was directing me to the Catholic church. Then I met the woman who was to become my wife. She was a fallen away Catholic. I began asking her about the church, then I asked her if she would take me to the next Christmas Midnight Mass. She said OK.

The Mass (as I found out many years later) was one of the early changes. They used the missal of 1965. I fell in love with it and knew that this is where I was headed. The following April we married. But it was another four years before I was truly called. It hit me like a “ton of bricks”.

Somehow, I have remained faithful since 1970. Sometimes it was very painful but I hung in there, and now 46 years later we have our EF Mass every day.

I’m more committed today than I have ever been. 🙂
 
tifischer said:
Thank you. I don’t recall hearing that before but it make sense.

Blessings!
Click to expand...
God speaks to us in many ways including evangelization from a believer.
The Word of God
Jesus Christ
The Holy Spirit
Prayer
Situations in every day living
Creation/nature

Often times we know the source of conversion but I suppose if we don’t know the exact source of conversion we can say it was a mystical conversion.
 
ALL conversions are mystical, evangelization just plants the seeds.
 
tifischer said:
I recall someone using a phrase to describe a conversion where no one was evangelizing them but they converted by God’s grace without evangelization. What is it called when someone is converted by grace without evangelization?
Click to expand...
Many people become Catholic simply by observing other Catholics or studying the Bible, Catholic History and doctrines. That is how I decided to become a Catholic.

My husband became a Catholic because he was not “evangelized”. He appreciated my hands off approach and the friendliness of our Church.

Unfortunately there are people who have wanted nothing to do with Catholicism by observing some unpleasant Catholics.

Everyone, whether through the evangelization of another or through study and observation are all called by God’s Grace.
 
tifischer said:
I recall someone using a phrase to describe a conversion where no one was evangelizing them but they converted by God’s grace without evangelization. What is it called when someone is converted by grace without evangelization?
Click to expand...
Grace always comes first in every case.
 
God imprints himself in each one of us. We are all searching, sometimes we don’t know what for and try this and that, never being satisfied. Our hearts are restless until they rest in the Lord. God is constantly calling each one of us . He pours out His grace on each one, we have to choose to accept His call. What causes some of us to stumble onto the truth, or hear and answer the call and others do not? Divine mystery. Prayer, evangelization and living as Christ by example in the world shines more light on the truth and beauty of faith in Him above all else. Live the beatitudes and pray for conversion of souls.
 
Casilda said:
ALL conversions are mystical, evangelization just plants the seeds.
Click to expand...
And there are many ways in which seeds can be planted. Sometimes I think the most fruitful seeds planted are those planted through the quiet example of how a Christian lives their life. I think these seeds are often more fruitful than direct evangelisation attempts (which of course also has its place).

I’ve been involved in street evangelisation, but when I think back to what were the seeds that led to my own conversion, it was not direct evangelisation (which I think would have put me off) but the example of the lives of two people, one who was very close to me and one who was my employer.

I later had a ‘conversion experience’ but I believe it was the seeds sown prior (without my realising fully what was going on) that opened me up to this.
 
tifischer said:
I recall someone using a phrase to describe a conversion where no one was evangelizing them but they converted by God’s grace without evangelization. What is it called when someone is converted by grace without evangelization?
Click to expand...
Two types are described: suddenly and step by step.

Summa Theologica, Part I of Second Part
Question 112. The cause of grace
Article 2. Whether any preparation and disposition for grace is required on man’s part?

Objection 2. Further, whoever is going on sinning, is not preparing himself to have grace. But to some who are going on sinning grace is given, as is clear in the case of Paul, who received grace whilst he was “breathing our threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). Hence no preparation for grace is required on man’s part.

Reply to Objection 2. Since a man cannot prepare himself for grace unless God prevent and move him to good, it is of no account whether anyone arrive at perfect preparation instantaneously, or step by step. For it is written (Sirach 11:23): “It is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich.” Now it sometimes happens that God moves a man to good, but not perfect good, and this preparation precedes grace. But He sometimes moves him suddenly and perfectly to good, and man receives grace suddenly, according to John 6:45: “Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to Me.” And thus it happened to Paul, since, suddenly when he was in the midst of sin, his heart was perfectly moved by God to hear, to learn, to come; and hence he received grace suddenly.
 
Brendan_64 said:
And there are many ways in which seeds can be planted. Sometimes I think the most fruitful seeds planted are those planted through the quiet example of how a Christian lives their life. I think these seeds are often more fruitful than direct evangelization attempts (which of course also has its place).

I’ve been involved in street evangelization, but when I think back to what were the seeds that led to my own conversion, it was not direct evangelization (which I think would have put me off) but the example of the lives of two people, one who was very close to me and one who was my employer.

I later had a ‘conversion experience’ but I believe it was the seeds sown prior (without my realizing fully what was going on) that opened me up to this.
Click to expand...
Yes, but I did not have seeds from people. No one tried to convert me to Catholicism…so I started to wonder what kind of conversion that is. When I entered the RCIA program I did not even know who the Blessed Mother was and wanted to know who Jesus was. I knew maybe one Bible story a baptist had told me (FYI asking an agnostic to believe Jesus walking on water is not exactly asking for a baby step).

I couldn’t even think of anyone who would be an RCIA sponsor. I was converted at the birth of my son holding him in my arms and realizing by God’s grace that this is the miracle of life and not random chance and I recall believing in my heart that I knew that there is a God and God’s love pouring into me (thank God)…a miracle considering how child birth is ridiculous painful (Lord God have mercy).

The existence of God was not something I even considered previously…before then God was just something I could never prove so I could never know. I thank God for His mercy. I found out later after joining the Church that my son’s birthday is the feast day of the Annunciation, thanks be to God.
 
Vico said:
Two types are described: suddenly and step by step.

Summa Theologica, Part I of Second Part
Question 112. The cause of grace
Article 2. Whether any preparation and disposition for grace is required on man’s part?

Objection 2. Further, whoever is going on sinning, is not preparing himself to have grace. But to some who are going on sinning grace is given, as is clear in the case of Paul, who received grace whilst he was “breathing our threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). Hence no preparation for grace is required on man’s part.

Reply to Objection 2. Since a man cannot prepare himself for grace unless God prevent and move him to good, it is of no account whether anyone arrive at perfect preparation instantaneously, or step by step. For it is written (Sirach 11:23): “It is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich.” Now it sometimes happens that God moves a man to good, but not perfect good, and this preparation precedes grace. But He sometimes moves him suddenly and perfectly to good, and man receives grace suddenly, according to John 6:45: “Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to Me.” And thus it happened to Paul, since, suddenly when he was in the midst of sin, his heart was perfectly moved by God to hear, to learn, to come; and hence he received grace suddenly.
Click to expand...
Yes, like Saint Paul was a mystical conversion! That’s a great example. Thank you.
 
Used2beSherryG said:
God imprints himself in each one of us. We are all searching, sometimes we don’t know what for and try this and that, never being satisfied. Our hearts are restless until they rest in the Lord. God is constantly calling each one of us . He pours out His grace on each one, we have to choose to accept His call. What causes some of us to stumble onto the truth, or hear and answer the call and others do not? Divine mystery. Prayer, evangelization and living as Christ by example in the world shines more light on the truth and beauty of faith in Him above all else. Live the beatitudes and pray for conversion of souls.
Click to expand...
That’s beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I love the idea of God imprints himself on us, that’s original, something to pray more for my children too.
 
tifischer said:
Yes, but I did not have seeds from people.
Click to expand...
Well you did if you think about it…where did you hear the Bible stories from?

I do not believe it is possible to be converted without Evangelisation … a word which means hearing the Good News.
 
Blue_Horizon said:
Well you did if you think about it…where did you hear the Bible stories from?

I do not believe it is possible to be converted without Evangelisation … a word which means hearing the Good News.
Click to expand...
That’s the thing is that I did not even know the bible stories. Once a Baptist told
Me about Jesus walking on water and for ur information that’s not the most believable story for an agnostic…that seriously did not not evangelizing me. I didn’t even know who the blessed mother was when I went to RCIA 😇
 
tifischer said:
That’s the thing is that I did not even know the bible stories. Once a Baptist told
Me about Jesus walking on water and for ur information that’s not the most believable story for an agnostic…that seriously did not not evangelizing me.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is a form of evangelizing.

You seem to want to believe you were evangelized directly by the HS without any historical information re JC?
 
Blue_Horizon said:
Yes, that is a form of evangelizing.

You seem to want to believe you were evangelized directly by the HS without any historical information re JC?
Click to expand...
That was NOT convincing evangelization and definitely not what drew me to God, no offense, Lord have mercy…if anything that story made it harder for me to believe and in no way converted me, bless his heart for trying. The extent of my religious upbringing was that Jesus was a man who lived a long time ago and gave people hope…I recall wondering how he is different from say Abraham Lincoln…yet, I did not come to praise reverence and serve Abraham Lincoln.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top