"Behold, I make all things new," even you

Each morning we should all pray for the grace of conversion because, as Fr. Carrón observed, "Each of us knows very well how often our heart is hardened, how much we are unwilling deep down to let ourselves be attracted by Him" (Whoever is in Christ is a New Creation 4). Carrón goes on to note that as we become more aware of our need for conversion (our need for Christ), which means becoming more and more aware "of our fragility and weakness," we need to pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace of conversion, which always means coming to grips with our sinfulness. As St. Paul noted at the very beginning of the Christian experience, "the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Rom 8:26- ESV).

Indeed, "whoever is in Christ is a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17). Carrón avers those who are in Christ are new creations "because Christ is something that is happening to [them]" (Whoeveris in Christ is a New Creation 4). Carrón directs our gaze to the disciples following Easter by asking, "What prevailed in their hearts, in their eyes, in their self-awareness, if not His living presence?" (Whoever 4) Certainly, Christ's resurrected presence "overcame any doubt, any shadow: it imposed itself" upon them (4-5).

"Christ was something that was happening to them. He was not a doctrine, a list of things to do, a sentiment" (Whoever 5). The presence of the resurrected Christ "introduced a newness that made life finally life, filling it with an intensity they could not generate themselves" (5).

So, today, the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, recognizing that the Holy Spirit is Christ's resurrection presence among us and in us, creating us anew, generating an intensity we are incapable of generating ourselves, despite our many, often desperate attempts, let us pray, Veni Sancte Spiritus, veni per Mariam (i.e., come Holy Spirit, come through Mary).