Today is the feast of Blessed John Henry Newman - its first celebration since his beatification. Timely, I have to say. Britain is still up the air after the Holy Father's visit, so this celebration will help the joy of those four days linger for a little longer.
The Holy Father decided to pick this day, the anniversary of Blessed John Henry's reception into the Church, as his feast day, so we can focus, this year, on that event. Conversion, of course, is not a single event, and the life and struggle of Blessed John Henry show us that very clearly. As you read both his account in his Apologia Pro Vita Sua and the narratives of his life, we can come to appreciate the difficulties, fears and tension which an individual must face in coming into the Church. That should give us cradle Catholics more understanding, most especially for the heirs of Blessed John Henry, those Anglicans preparing to form the new Ordinariates. May God be with them at this time.
Of course, the story of Blessed John Henry's conversion should also bring us to reflect on our own - on the daily conversion which is at the heart of Christian discipleship. The words of St Augustine tend to sum up very well the position all of us find ourselves in with regard to certain areas of our lives, "Lord convert me, but not just yet". There are things, habits, desires and relationships we are not ready to let go of in order to progress along the path of holiness. St Teresa of Avila understood this and said that it was the reason many good people never advance from the Third to Fourth Mansions on the path to perfection.
It is here that Blessed John Henry can speak to us. He had to let go of everything - and I mean everything: his possessions, his living, his friends, his tradition, his birthright, but even more radically, himself. In the words of the Lord, he had to die to himself, renounce himself, in order to embrace the truth. He said, after many years as a Catholic, that he had found it difficult living within the Church - he was always considered an outsider and was constantly under suspicion from supposed "pillars of orthodoxy". Yet, he remained. He was sanctified thanks to these difficulties because his faith, hope and love had to expand. Even Blessed John Henry understood his conversion was a life-long process, that these sufferings had a vital part to play. His epitaph, which forms the title of this blog, "From shadows and images into truth" sounds so beautiful and pious - in reality it was a long, hard and lonely journey.
It is here that Blessed John Henry can speak to us. He had to let go of everything - and I mean everything: his possessions, his living, his friends, his tradition, his birthright, but even more radically, himself. In the words of the Lord, he had to die to himself, renounce himself, in order to embrace the truth. He said, after many years as a Catholic, that he had found it difficult living within the Church - he was always considered an outsider and was constantly under suspicion from supposed "pillars of orthodoxy". Yet, he remained. He was sanctified thanks to these difficulties because his faith, hope and love had to expand. Even Blessed John Henry understood his conversion was a life-long process, that these sufferings had a vital part to play. His epitaph, which forms the title of this blog, "From shadows and images into truth" sounds so beautiful and pious - in reality it was a long, hard and lonely journey.
Many see Blessed John Henry as an austere intellectual figure, but he was not - he was not removed from life, from any aspect of life. He was deeply sensitive, and he loved - he loved profoundly. He adopted the words of St Francis de Sales "Heart speaks to Heart" as his motto as Cardinal - again, no mere pious saying, but a real indication of where he was in, not only in relationship with God, but with others. In his conversion, as he had to renounce what was dear to him to embrace the truth, his heart was wounded, but wounded to be healed in Christ, and so, in fulfillment of the Lord's promise, what he gave up he received in abundance again, and heaven too. Pope Benedict told us in his homily at the Inauguration of his Papacy, when we choose Christ, we lose nothing, but gain everything: Blessed John Henry discovered this: no sacrifice is barren, all are fruitful, and though they may bring us through a period of labour, they give birth to joy, peace, life and love.
May Blessed John Henry, light of the Church, help us on this path to holiness - yes, the path of renunciation, but also the path of joy, the path of Christ, and bring us, in the evening of life, to that safe lodging where the Lord of life awaits us.
Collect for the feast:
Blessed John Henry, pray for us
O God,who bestowed on the PriestBlessed John Henry Newmanthe grace to follow your kindly light and find peace in your Church;graciously grant that, through his intercession and example,we may be led out of shadows and imagesinto the fullness of your truth.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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