Today, we hear less and less about conversion. In fact, this word is often viewed with suspicion, and people try to avoid it. It is associated with the violation of freedom of conscience and some consider it an abuse. For this reason, when one meets with non-Christian religions, we declare that we are not there with conversion intent. We dialogue, exchange ideas, and spiritual or life experiences but reassure each other by stating we do not intend to change the other.
It would be interesting to discuss whether a true encounter is possible without a change taking place in the souls of the people involved. We would probably have to be forced to admit, as Martin Buber had already done, for example, that every encounter is an event in which Truth is revealed in the relationship,1 and this prevents the fact that the encounter is "harmless" leaving people the same as before. After all, even the document of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Dialogue and Proclamation no. 41 states that dialogue between people of different faiths has as its goal "a deeper conversion of all towards God." In all this, it is also possible for the person to be inwardly impelled to "leave one's previous spiritual or religious situation in order to direct oneself towards another." Thus, conversion is a natural consequence of encountering the other and is also a fundamental component of dialogue between people of different faiths.
From the point of view of the Xaverian charism, and in general, from the point of view of any missionary charism ad gentes, we need to take into account the idea of conversion. The Xaverian charism is closely connected with it. In the Fundamental Rule, a collection of excerpts from the constitutions written by St. Guido Maria Conforti for the Xaverians, it is clearly stated that the members of the Institute oblige themselves by vow for the evangelization of the infidels (non-Christians). At the same time, of states that the vocation of the Xaverians is to expand the Kingdom of God among the unbelievers, meaning the desire for many hearts to accept Christ as their King and Lord. For this purpose, every Xaverian missionary consecrates himself as a willing victim for the conversion of the unbelievers, collaborating in a miracle of grace that calls for more spiritual energies and holiness than works and activism.
The heart of the Xaverian charism is, therefore, not just leaving one's own land for a generic service to the needy in another country. The heart of the Xaverian charism is a dream. The dream is that people who do not know Christ may meet him and love him to such an extent that he becomes their Lord of their lives. St. Guido had this dream and that is why he founded the Xaverians. He interpreted Jesus' thirst on the cross as a thirst for souls.
This dream requires a miracle. Conversion to Christ cannot be forced or fostered by illicit methods. Conversion to Christ that occurs in a way that is not natural and desired by the person would be meaningless and detrimental. But it is always possible to cooperate with the grace, seeking to be channels of God's love for it to be revealed in people's hearts. For this, it will be necessary, as with St. Paul, to make ourselves all things to all people (cf. I Cor. 9:22), loving people even to the point of giving our lives for them, like Jesus dying before the centurion eliciting his response of faith (Mk. 15:38). We can also rely on our communion as an imperfect reflection of what the trinity in heaven experiences from eternity. Our communion is that fresh water into which we invite people to "dive" to enjoy its beauty.
We need to revalue the idea of "conversion." People close to me have sometimes invited me to become Islamic. I have also been told that I would make a good Buddhist. None of this offended me; on the contrary. These words contained the love of people who shared with me what they held most dear. I think we can do the same thing ourselves. To give in freedom what is dearest to us: our relationship with Christ.
Finally, let us try to read the conversion story of those who responded to Christ's love. The converted, with their beautiful stories, are the only ones who can really describe to us the beauty of this word: conversion.
[Source]
Lochhead D., The Dialogic Imperative: Christian Reflection on Interfaith Encounter (New York: Orbis Books, 1 988), 48-52.
The picture was taken by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, “The Conversion of St. Paul,” ca. 1675-1682 (https://www.ncregister.com/blog/swimming-the-tiber-brief-conversion-stories)
