January 7, 2013         John W         John W's previous articles 

"I see....now I get it" moments

01: Paul, on horse to Damascus, to persecute Christians.
Flash of light. He falls to ground. Hears voice "I am Jesus,
you are perscuting me".
I see...now I get it: I should stop persecuting Christians...and should become one myself

02: Paul, in Ephesians 3, "Non-Jews are part of God's plan. God's plan is not just about us Jews. It's about the whole human race".
I see...now I get it: I'm going to get moving among the Gentiles...help them know Jesus

03: Augustine, hearing a voice "Take and read"...finally comes to his moment of full faith.
I see...now I get it: I'm going to spend the rest of my life in dedication to the Wisdom of God

04: Francis of Assisi, realizing that life is not about getting rich and living like a rich person.
I see...now I get it: I'm going to spend the rest of my life serving the poor, and living in simplicity as a poor person

05: Ignatius of Loyola, recovering in hospital from war wound, comes to understand the only real war worth fighting for is that between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
I see...now I get it: I'm going to spend the rest of my life dedicated to the spread of God's Kingdom

06: Eugene de Mazenod, before Crucifix one Good Friday, experiences a tsunami of life-changing love in his heart.
I see...now I get it: I'm going to do all I can to bring the Good News to the poor

07: Many other examples of saints and leaders who have had such moments. Please put some more exanples in box at bottom of this file

08:  The Church, at Vatican II, had many "I see...now I get it" moments
re the role of lay people in the Church, re the centrality of Scripture, re the need for Ecumenism etc.  "Protestants are not evil...they are our baptized brothers and sisters"

09: About 1975, the first time I heard someone speak about married priests. Thought he was crazy and heretical.
I see...now I get it: Many years later, I came to realize the evil of compulsory celibacy

10: Not sure when was the first time I heard people speaking about women priests. Thought that was going too far.  But now....I see...now I get it: there is no reason not to ordain women to the priesthood

11: Benedict XVI:  before he dies, may he have a few "I see...now I get it" moments....like Paul, Augustine, Francis, Ignatius, Eugene etc