I read this amazing testimony by R.J. Stove about his conversion to Catholicism on Why I'm Catholic, a site run by an awesome guy and fellow VP contributor Steven Lawson.
Stove is the son a prominent atheist, the late David Stove. He joined the Catholic Church in 2002. He lives in Melbourne, Australia. His website says he is an editor, writer, composer and narcissist, and features a quote by Paul Valery (French poet, essayist and philosopher): "A poem is never finished, it is only abandoned."
The first part of that sentence, I think, applies well to humans. We humans are not perfect, which would seem like a good finishing point. But even the word "perfect" could be exchanged for another attitude: we're never finished striving towards God, just as God is ever patient waiting for us to come back to him.
The second part of Valery's sentence, then, could juxtapose the difference between man and God: as man gives up, God never abandons us. Through the calm and storms of life, he uses our free will and decisions as a pathway for grace.
I tried to pick a favorite graf, but couldn't. I hope you consider Stove's conversion with an open mind and delight in his use of the English language. Read the article here.
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