[Greek] ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō), [Latin] revertere, [Latin] convertere, [Latin] redire, [French] tourner, [French] se changer, [French] renverser, [French] retourner

[Greek] ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō), [Latin] revertere, [Latin] convertere, [Latin] redire, [French] tourner, [French] se changer, [French] renverser, [French] retourner: to revert, to turn, to turn around, to return, to convert, to turn about; 44 scriptural references

Rather than focusing on recognizing sin and bringing souls into heaven, this Synodal Church focuses on MAKING A BETTER WORLD and SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD.

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means to turn back, to turn about, to turn round, to put an enemy to flight, to put about, to recur, to pay attention to, to bring into action, to convert, to correct, to return, to go back and forth, to turn against, to wheel about, and to repent.

Herodotus’ Histories 2.103.2: “From there he turned around and went back home.”

Xenophon’s Hellenica 6.4.9: “It was already evident that there would be a battle. Some baggage carriers as such did not wish to fight (turn back) and had withdrawn.”

Sophocles’ Antigone 1111: “But since my judgment has taken this turn, I will be there to set her free.”

Sophocles’ Philoctetes 599: “The Atreides after so long a time turn their thoughts toward this man.”

Euripides Heracleidae 942: “Come, first turn your head towards me and steel yourself to look you enemies in the face; you are ruled, no longer the ruler.”

Old Testament: This term means to turn, to change, to restore, to do again, to repel, to change behavior, to return, to apostatize, and to give back.

New Testament: This term means to turn around, to return, to convert, to turn away, to make a turn, and to bring back. For purposes of brevity, mundane physical turning will be excluded.

To return:

Mt.10:13: “If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.” (This means that your peace shall not come upon it. You are not bestowing a gift to them. If people were willing to receive this, they would receive a benefit or blessing.)

Mt.9:22: “Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, ‘Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.’ And from that the woman was cured.” (As the hemorrhagic woman touched Jesus’ cloak, she said that she would be healed. Jesus said that her faith had saved her.)

Mk.8:33: “At this, He turned around and, looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Peter’ confession about Jesus:

1. Jesus tells the disciples that the Son of Man must suffer greatly, be rejected, be killed, and rise after three days.
2. Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him.
3. At first glance, this sounds like a reasonable reaction from Peter. Peter was concerned about Jesus’ welfare.
4. Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.
5. However, in Peter’s seemingly “reasonable response”, Peter was briefly Satanically inspired to UNDERMINE Jesus’ mission to redeem humanity.
6. Satan seeks to undermine God, God’s creation, God’s laws, and His Church.

To convert/be converted:

Acts 3:19: “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.” (Peter states that the Jews acted out of ignorance in their actions and in their misunderstanding of Jesus’ messianic identity. Peter continues to appeal to the Jews to believe in Jesus.) 

Mt.13:15: “Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted.” (Jesus speaks to the people because the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has not been granted to them. They look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. They have struggles in being converted.)

Jas.5:19-20: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (When a Christian is instrumental in the conversion of a sinner, the result is forgiveness of sins and a reinstatement of the sinner to the life of grace.) 

To turn to God:

Acts 11:21: “The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”

The aftermath from Stephen’s martyrdom/assassination:

1. Stephen was stoned to death. (Acts 8:58-60)
2. They were scattered by the persecution that arouse because of Stephen. (Acts 11:19)
3. They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. (Acts 11:19)
4. The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:21)
5. The Jewish Christians and Gentiles were uncomfortable with the mixed community.
6. A large number of people was added to the Lord. (Acts 11:24)
7. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. (Acts 11:26)

2Cor.3:16: “But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”

1. Moses puts a veil over his face to protect himself and the Israelites’ from God’s reflected glory.
2. The Israelites’ understanding of God is blinded, dull, unclear, insensible, and lacking.
3. This same veil remains over their hearts when they read the Old Covenant.
4. But when a person turns to Christ, this veil of misunderstanding is removed.
5. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
6. The Israelites of Moses’ time and some ignorant Jewish Christians are likened to the Jews of Paul’s time.

1Thess.1:9: “For they themselves openly declare about us what sort of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (The Thessalonians had been Gentiles and heathens who engaged in idols, immorality, carnal lusts, sin, principalities, and worldliness.)

To turn from idols:

Acts 26:17-18: [Jesus]: ‘I shall deliver you from this people and from Gentiles to open their eyes that they make turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.”

1. Paul makes reference to his own spiritual blindness in previously persecuting the Christians.
2. One opens one’s eyes by being open to the scripture.
3. Darkness refers to paganism, ignorance, and sin. The pagan nations are sitting in darkness under the control of Satan.
4. The great mass of people of this world are subject and held captive to Satan.
5. Satan seeks to undermine God’s creation, laws, and Jesus’ Church.

To turn back to darkness:

Gal.4:9: “How can you turn back again to the weak and desolate elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?” (Paul worries that the Galatians will resort back to their pagan ways. One can be enslaved, trapped, or addicted to these idols. God, outside human corruption and sinfulness, can provide true freedom.)

[Greek] tropaion, [Latin] tropaeum ==>trophy:

1. This term is derived from the Greek and Roman practice of setting up monuments to commemorate a victory (turning point) over a foe on the battle field.
2. The significance of the monument is a permanent reminder of victory over the defeated enemies.

In spite of the difficulties and obstacles in the world we are now seeing some minor victories in this battle.

1. More people are now seeing a politicized and worldly Church, acting like a United Nations NGO, rather than a divine Church in the “business” of saving souls.
2. More people are seeking tradition, reverence and piety, in spite of the clergy. (This is not because of the clergy.)
3. More young people (laity, priests and seminarians) are becoming traditional and conservative-minded. This is being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
4. More Protestants are converting to Catholicism. Protestants are also looking for something much deeper.
5. More people are seeing the harmful consequences of Vatican II (bringing “fresh air [worldliness]” and the “smoke of Satan” into the Church.)
6. Many more people are now taking to task clergy who make questionable decisions and statements.
7. More people are learning about that harmful HUMAN TRADITION of the “seamless garment” doctrine.
8. Charlie Kirk’s assassination caused an intellectual, spiritual, moral, and intellectual awakening in many people.

Conclusion:

Conversion, convert, reverse, revert, trophy, return, reversal, redo, change, changing

Old Testament: Turning plays an important role in one’s relationship with God: turning to God, turning away from God, or God permitting one to have a hardened heart (Pharoah).

Update: It is very unfortunate that the USCCB have turned their priorities to immigration and implicit illegal immigration efforts. 90% of resources are for immigration and 1% of resources are for pro-life and abortion causes. The USCCB are now calling upon the US government to turn back on the money supply.

Turning the Church’s priorities upside-down: Cardinal McElroy claims that helping immigrants is the most important mission of the Church, not the salvation of souls.

More and more people are seeing past this bizarre “blessing of the ice” by Pope Leo. This is now be likened to the Panchamama idol on the Vatican grounds. 

The Church has also turned away from its teachings against homosexuality. The LGBTQ “outreach” is based on inclusion, and tolerance of this sinful lifestyle. This is Synodality becoming an idol.

Many young people’s faith and moral conscience are saving them from remaining in a Democratic party which espouses violence and evil thoughts.

Unfortunately, too many people continue to wear this veil of misunderstanding and hatred of Charlie Kirk.

Many of us forget that the world is under the domain of Satan. These Satanic SUBTLE INFLUENCES can creep into the Church:

1. Doctrinal confusion/ambiguity and liturgical confusion/ambiguity
2. Undermining of Church teachings
3. Pushing the doctrinal envelope into error, heresy, evil and sin
4. Acceptance of sinful behavior (under the guise of mercy, false compassion, tolerance, and inclusion).
5. Equivocating grave sinful actions to other issues. (Not being hospitable to immigrants has the same gravity with abortion???)
6. Actions and efforts to undermine Church structure, vocations [woman deacons and priests], and God’s plans for creation, marriage, and procreation [abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage, transgenderism].

Several clergy’s Synodal spiritual “hard-heartedness” is opposing and disenfranchising the people’s desire for the TLM.

The Church’s efforts to delve into environmental issues are often criticized and perceived as moving into pagan ways.

Important reminder about Satan: Satan does not necessarily need to fully possess you. SATAN ONLY NEEDS YOU TO FORGET ABOUT GOD.

Good news: The Holy Spirit is continuing to inspire the laity to call to task the errors of the clergy. Ex. Cardinal Cupich, Fr. James Martin, Pope Leo, etc.

Many clergy (including Pope Leo) continues to believe in the 1970’s “seamless garment” doctrine (human tradition). This doctrine states that abortion is just one issue among many. Ex. “You can’t be pro-life if you do not show humane treatment toward immigrants and oppose the death penalty. Then you would also have to say, “The God of the Old Testament was not pro-life” ☺☺☺

Do you notice the connection between Satan, Cardinal Bernardin, Cardinal Cupich, and Senator Dick Durbin?

1. Cardinal Bernardin was an alleged Satan worshipper and inventor of the HUMAN seamless garment DOCTRINE.
2. This human seamless garment doctrine seeks to relativize situational morality and to undermine Church teachings.
3. Cardinal Cupich was a supporter of Cardinal Bernardin.
4. Cardinal Cupich turns to this HUMAN seamless garment DOCTRINE to honor pro-Abortion Senator Dick Durbin. 
5. It goes without saying that Satan would gladly approve of this. “I am Satan and I approve this message.“
6. As Jesus would say, “You are thinking as human beings do.”

“Man can build a world with out God. But this world will end by turning against Him.” St. John Paul II

“We do not a Church that will move with the world. We want a Church that will move the world.”  GK Chesterton  (He nails it on Synodality!)