Denver Catholic

4 AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2025 | DENVER CATHOLIC described resonated deeply with me because I experienced a lot of rest- lessness in many areas of my life. Through St. Augustine, Jesus invited me into a way of relating to God. He showed me that my restlessness was the consequence of not resting in him, not abiding in him. The image of the vine in John 15 became very important to me at this time because it illumined a new way of life and a way to deal with my restlessness. To this day, the mystery of abiding and resting in Christ continues to unfold in my life. It helps me respond and grapple with temptations, life struggles and the mess that the world is in. When fruit is not being born, I must ask myself, "Where am I not abiding in Jesus? Where does the Father desire to prune me?" As I mentioned earlier, conversion continues to deepen throughout our lives. To demonstrate this, I want to share an incredible gift of grace that I received as a bishop. In 2004, I went on my first 30-day silent retreat. I had been growing in the practice of Ignatian spiritualit y, experiencing several eight-day retreats where I encountered the spiritual exercises. This retreat was a profound source of grace and deeper conversion. Through the exercises, I experi- enced a new depth in my relationship with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and Mary. One grace became the over- riding theme of the retreat and has stayed with me ever since. The theme is surrender. Early on in the retreat, I decided to go to an ice cream parlor. When I walked in and was waiting in line, I overheard an intense discussion that a young couple was having. To my surprise, they were discussing the Eucharist. The woman was asking her date about Adoration, and the young man was witnessing to the power and benefit of spending time in front of the Lord. Curious, I con- tinued to listen to see how the con- versation unfolded. At one point, the man shared that he and his friends would drive to Adoration in silence to prepare them- selves. Baffled, the woman asked, "Why would you do that?" He replied, "It is because we are going to meet the Lord, and we must be prepared to give ourselves to him. It is all in the sur- render of ourselves to him." The Holy Spirit encouraged me through those words. I swelled with joy and gratitude for the young man and hope for the couple. I possessed a deep awareness of my dependence on God and the need to surrender myself completely to his plan and his providence. The grace of surrender filled the rest of my retreat, and in many ways still characterizes the heart of my ministry as a bishop. "It is all in the surrender" echoes in my heart. I am so grateful to God for these moments of conversion. In each one, he provided exactly what I needed to grow closer to him. In each conver- sion Jesus calls us into, he changes us and propels us forward toward our heavenly home. The grace we receive does not remain in the past but con- tinues to unfold. For me, I regularly preach about and encourage others with John 8:31- 32. The image of the vine, John 15, that became so important to me over the years is the key image to under- standing the mission of the Archdio- cese of Denver. The call to surrender has been the theme of pastoral notes, retreats, the Surrender Novena Prayer card sent to all the parishes and so many other initiatives that have been sources of grace through- out my time as a bishop. Conversion is a lifelong journey, and the unending grace of God continues to unfold and grow as we continue to say yes to Jesus. By grace and the eternal love of the Trinit y, our hearts rest in Jesus, and we cry out with St. Paul in all humilit y and wonder, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2: 20). I say with full conviction: my life is a pure gift, and the Lord has been generous to me." ARCHBISHOP SAMUEL J. AQUILA

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