In yesterday’s Sunday Gospel, Peter offers "a short catechesis about the essence of Christian faith", in which he explains that Jesus "leads to conversion, creates the scope and possibility of mending one’s ways, of repenting, of starting all over again. And He forgives sins, puts us into a proper relationship with God". This was stated yesterday morning by Benedict XVI, in his homily at the Orti Borromaici of Pavia, during his pastoral visit to Vigevano and Pavia. "This short catechesis of Peter’s", explained the Pope, "speaks to all of us". In particular, the journey that Jesus points out to us is called "conversion". The city of Pavia, said the Pontiff, "speaks of one of the greatest converts of the history of the Church: Saint Aurelius Augustine", whose spoils rest in Pavia. "By carefully following the course of Saint Augustine’s life, one can see that his conversion was not a short-lived event, but it was actually a journey", commented the Pope, highlighting "three major steps in this journey of conversion". The "first, fundamental conversion" was his inner journey towards Christianity, towards the "yes" of faith and Baptism. "Although he was a child of his time, deeply affected by the prevailing customs and passions, as well as by all the questions and problems of a young man", Augustine "always was an ever-searching man".
