It’s All About Transformation

Dec 08, 2008 by Fr Luke Palumbis

A friend and brother priest once told me, ‘It’s all about transformation.”  That statement has helped my individual Christian pilgrimage and ministry as a priest on more that one occasion!  If we understand that we are all sinners, and continually ‘miss the mark’ of Christian living to one degree or another, then an easy connection is made to our need for repentance, which is a continual process of transformation as we strive to ‘hit the mark’ in relation to Christian living.  The blessing is that our Lord will continue to accept us when we authentically seek and experience this transformation.  However, the blessing of this repentant transformation can never take place without first having ‘missed the mark!’ 

The experience of disappointment often leads us to frustration, anger, and even despair!  We experience this in our relation to ourselves as individuals, and we experience it in our relation with others.  Have you ever been disappointed with a relative, a friend, a co-workers, a fellow student, a fellow parishioner, or a stranger?  In response to this disappointment, did you begin to feel frustrated or angry?  Although it is tempting, our challenge as people of faith is to not dwell on the problem, or our disappointment that is derived from it—our opportunity is to look beyond what we perceive as the problem, and see what fruit it may produce.  ...and yes, it will only produce fruit when it is responded to with repentance.  Our greatest challenges are our greatest opportunities—as individuals and as communities! 

Do not ever feel despair in response to disappointment!  With hope in Jesus Christ, transformation is always an option, no matter what the circumstance!  Maintain this hope and our ability to progress through the challenges of life becomes stronger!  God loves you, and if you allow Him, He is with you…“If God is with us, who is against us?” Romans 8:31