'Man is called to things far greater than the universe': Priests calls Catholics to pray for jihadists

'We must be called to a personal conversion to live and preach the life of the Gospels, which alone have the power to completely uproot violence from man's heart.'

Father Jacques Philippe, a French priest and author, believes even ISIS fighters can turn their lives around with help from our Heavenly Father.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Father Jacques Philippe is an author and has long been part of the Community of the Beatitudes, which his website about page describes as "an Ecclesial Family of Consecrated life founded in France in 1973.

"The Community of the Beatitudes fathers faithful from all states of life (married or unmarried lay people, seminarians, priests, permanent deacons, men and women consecrated in celibacy) who wish to conform as closely as possible to the model of the early Christian community through the common life, the sharing of goods, voluntary poverty and an intense sacramental and liturgical life."

Keeping in mind with the basis for the Community of the Beatitudes, Fr. Philippe believes the only way to end violence is to "pray for the conversion of the jihadists. There certainly is among them some future Saint Paul."

The Catholic News Agency reported Fr. Philippe telling William Fahey, in a December interview, that ISIS terrorism is "a great menace," but "hysteria" and "aggressive reactions" or hatred towards terrorists is the incorrect response.

He explained, "The fragility of our societies is a call to find our security, our hope, and our peace in God. We must be called to a personal conversion to live and preach the life of the Gospels, which alone have the power to completely uproot violence from man's heart. We must not forget that violence does not only exist in others but also resides in us, less visible, but still present."

Of course, part of spirituality and Christian renewal are key to the conversion of a new Christian.
Fr. Philippe specified that Christian spiritual life is shown through "the unbounded love of our Father manifested through Christ, and to respond to this love.

"For our part, it firstly means to have an open attitude, built on humility and trust: to realize our smallness and place all of our trust in the goodness and mercy of God; to nurture, day after day, a relation with God built on simplicity, persevering love, and of constant search for his will."

Christians are not meant to conform to a doctrine, belong to the right community or adhere to external ideals, Father Philippe reported, "On the contrary, the Holy Spirit works in Christians who, through the living experience of God's love and mercy, respond to a call for a personal encounter with Christ through prayer which will allow a journey of simplicity, trust, and freedom...

"Such a community is not programed [sic] but rather is born of God's eruption into the life of one or a few people who have received a charism for founding. Any Christian community must be founded on fidelity to such a gift and to God's call, as well as on faith and prayer. Belonging to a Christian community must bring us closer to God so as to be closer to men and their sufferings."

Father Philippe clarified such a community must be "a place where each and every one is welcomed and loved as he is, with his strengths and weaknesses." It must also allow its members to live "not according to the spirit of this world but according to the Beatitudes...

"Man is called to things far greater than the universe. Man needs to experience things that will open some horizons far greater than material reality. When life is meaningless, man seeks to fill this emptiness with strong sensations, found either in drugs, sexuality, extreme sports, sometimes even violence...

"The church is still able to produce saints. It is a sign of fidelity to God, a sign that grace is beyond and above sin. Sainthood should amaze us more than sin scandalizes us; for the former is far greater. The Church is not made of some perfect elite, but rather of sinners journeying towards conversion. It is a place where we can meet both man's wretchedness and God's unbounded mercy."

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