B. Aragoneses
(ZENIT News – Infomadrid / Madrid, 24.01.2024).- As all children of his age, Gonzalo is completing the preparation to receive his First Communion this coming May. However, he is not the only member of his family to receive the Eucharistic Jesus this year. As he himself says, in soccer terms, “my father scored and we are 1-0.” In fact Javier, 44, has gone ahead and on Sunday, January 21, he received the Sacraments of Christian Initiation in the parish of Our Lady Flower of Carmel, in the neighbourhood of Pilar. Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, the Sacraments that this convert Jew lived with increasing emotion with each Sacrament he received.
We talked with Javier moments before the celebration. He was nervous, but told us the story of his conversion calmly and with the certainty that he was doing what the Lord was asking him. He spent four long years in discernment, during which he saw many “signs” that confirmed his path. As that time when he was waiting for his wife Cristina, seated on a bench, and begging God for light to know if it was Judaism or Christianity. “Lord, what should I do? At that very moment, a priest came out of the building across the street and greeted me.” Javier saw the answer.
If Javier were to put a beginning to this story, it started with an embrace. It’s still hard for him to describe the sensation. “I was in the chapel of the Church and , suddenly, I felt embraced, as when Cristina came suddenly from behind and gave me an embrace.” Yes, the story of Javier’s conversion is very linked to that of Cristina herself. She, a Catholic, “didn’t come often to the Church.” “Not at all,” specified his wife, to be frank. But when her eldest child, Gonzalo, was six years old, Cristina thought: “If I want my son to believe as I do, I’ll have to take him to Mass.” So she began to go to her parish. Javier accompanied her, more than anything, in case he had to handle César, their second son, who was a very rambunctious child.
Javier kept to his Judaism. His mother was a German Ashkenazi Jewess (the Jews that settled in Central and Eastern Europe), and his father was a Catholic from Malaga. At home, notwithstanding, there was “an environment not very inclined to religion” and he grew up, “perhaps, with certain prejudices against Catholicism.” He met Cristina in 2010, and they were married three years later in the Church because “for her the faith was important.” Preparing the wedding was “the first moment my myths collapsed; I had never talked to a priest in my life, and then they all seemed to be extraordinarily kind.”
The Resurrection, the Virgin and Jesus Christ
When he began to accompany Cristina to the parish, “I don’t know why I felt the need to enter the chapel,” where the Tabernacle is. And it was then when that embrace left him dislocated. He started to speak with God. “Hiding somewhat from Cristina, he began to get up early to pray,” and he, who had always had the sensation of wanting to constantly improve, felt that in those moments “I arose not to be above anyone, but not to let myself be caught” by what tied him to the world. Those morning prayers began to be addressed to the Virgin Mary, when Cristina brought a pilgrim statue to the house. The Virgin, who in his Judaism from birth he hadn’t had on his radar, was “revealing; someone with an infinite love with whom you can speak.”
“I was already feeling something more towards Catholicism.” From his role as accompanier in Mass, he began to learn prayers. One day he felt in his heart that he had to join the people in the liturgy “and I began to speak.” “I felt that the way was there,” he said. So “I took the decision.” By early 2023, it was already clear to me. Father Roman, a Carmelite of the parish and the priest with whom he had spoken (who became his godfather together with Cristina, his godmother), invited him to be calm, but not to pause.
In addition to Mary’s figure, for Javier “something most powerful of Catholicism is that the promise of Resurrection is fulfilled; the triumph of Christ’s Resurrection breaks down barriers between life and death.” Moreover, “if I had to encourage people” in their search, I would say that “Catholicism is the great consolation in face of big problems: the bad things you do and death.” “For me it’s the answer to the things that worried me since I was little: what is there after death and how to obtain forgiveness,” he acknowledged. Finally, Jesus Christ, the true explainer of the Law, the One who liberates you, Who has not come to abolish the Law, but to give plenitude — the Messiah.”
Accompanied by the Community
Javier was incorporated in the Church during the 11:30 am Mass of the parish, accompanied by his family and all the faithful. The celebration was presided over by the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Jose Cobo, together with the Vicar of the 8th Vicariate, Father Angel Camino, OSA, and the parish priest, Father Luis Ortiz. During the homily, Cardinal Cobo recalled how God called not only Javier, but “each one.” If there is something clear to us, it’s that Jesus calls us one by one.” A call that is, basically, ”to be with Him.” And that is to be Christians, he affirmed. Not so much to do, but “to listen to Jesus’ call and to be with Him.” “And to let Jesus continue working in us.” This implies a change of life, he indicated. As Javier’s face, which — as he went receiving the Sacraments –, was shining more.
The Archbishop referred also to the Sunday of the Word, which the Church celebrated on January 21. “Do not fail to read the Word of God every day,” he encouraged those present, “because it is the food for Baptism, so that you continue listening to the voice of God.” Cardinal Cobo concluded by congratulating Javier: “The entire Church rejoices at your Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.” And this man, after a confident and silent path to an “immense feeling of being loved,” ended his day of entry in the Church with a “thank you for welcoming me, I hope to be worthy to be among you.”
With information from the Archdiocese of Madrid
