Catholic Convert
What is the mass? Why can't I have communion? What do you mean Peter was the first pope? Do you worship Mary? Why do you pray to the Saints? Why do you confess to a priest when you can go straight to God?
These are just some of the questions I sprinkled on my girlfriend (now wife) as years past and I sat in the pews of St. Francis and just watched her walk up in adoration to partake in the Holy Eucharist (which I was a little confused about).
I was a bit concerned with the Catholic Church (being a former southern Baptist) to say the least, but knew with twins on the way that I wanted my wife and I to have the same religious beliefs as we went to raise our children.
Her having the upper hand when it came to consistency and strength of faith I decided to give RCIA and the Catholic Church a chance.
After finishing RCIA and receiving my first communion at Easter Vigil, I'm on fire. I'm not saying this is everyone's experience, but I can tell you that my relationship with Christ grew from the size of a mustard seed to a huge beautiful tree that is full of the largest fruits you could imagine (with the occasional bad apple - confession comes in handy with those).
Of course my journey has not stopped since RCIA ended, quite the opposite in fact. The more I learn about my new faith the deeper I want to go, and the deeper I go the more Truth reveals itself. It's an absolutely beautiful journey that I now realize continues on until I meet my Creator (God willing).
RCIA is where my True Creator revealed Himself to me through the teachings of our Sacraments and today the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, gives me humble opportunity to have His life within me.
"Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you."- John 6:53
Look, we're here taking up precious space. We're living and breathing on this enormous universe that is the size of a seed compared to rest of the galaxy but yet we're here, and there is a greater meaning to that. Whether you believe it or not your mind deserves to give the Catholic faith a chance, and the clearest way to start is right here, right now.
From the great converts of St. Paul to the intellectual Trappist monk Thomas Merton, we all have the truth candle deep down ready to be revealed. We can choose to guard it or we can strike the match and reveal it to the world. The latter will be challenging and convicting but the reward is eternal.
God bless you if your discerning the Catholic faith. I pray everyday that our pews will be filled with converts in the very near future, and I pray that you will say yes as our Mother Mary did.
Big Love from a proud Catholic,
Zach Brown
"We are not converted only once in our lives but many times and this endless series of conversions and inner revolutions leads to our transformation." - Thomas Merton
