Jumping In With Both Feet!

I have so many ideas to share for my new blog; this is my third one this week! When I decided to start a blog I knew of the direction I wanted the blog to go but had to think of the specific topics I wanted to discuss.  I couldn't decided if I wanted to talk about how I overcame the struggles with teachings and the wrestling I had to do spiritually to overcome them or if I wanted to tap into my head a pull out experiences of getting serious about my faith and how I did it. After careful thinking and prayers to the Holy Spirit I decided to do both! My previous post about the Eucharist had to do with how I learned about the faith and how I came to believe in the Eucharist; this post is going to share my experience within the Church and how I view young people today starting their journey in the faith!

For the longest time when walking into a church or going to Sunday Mass I would not want to sit near the front, would look around to make sure I didn't see anyone I knew, or whould not want to look as if I was praying to hard or too serious.  I was not ashamed of what I believed in but what other people would think if they found out that I believed in my faith; that I wasn't dragged by my parents but actually wanted to go to Mass and talk to Jesus. I think this relates to how we are outside of church too! How long do you spend picking out your outfit, doing your hair, and spiffing yourself up to go out with friends? Are you afraid that other people will judge how you look if you are not wearing designer clothes or don't have perfect hair, style, swag, etc? If you were kneeling down in church with your eyes looking at Jesus on the Cross and your friend who wasn't Catholic/religious walked in and saw you would you be embarrassed?  You would try and play it off like you don't really "care"?  Because that is exactly what I used to do and what I felt like.  I saw an old friend that I went to school with (last time I saw him was about 10 years ago) at the same Mass as me and immediately felt weird. Not because I haven't seen him in a long time but because I knew he didn't practice his faith and was in town visiting his Mom. I was afraid that he was going to think of me as some crazy Christian would prayed 24/7, was no fun, and wasn't cool anymore!

I feel like this is the reason most young people in the faith have one foot in the Catholic pool water and the other leg not.  I feel like they want to take part in their faith, want to have a relationship with Jesus,

and want to experience the joy that comes along with it, but they don't want leave the "fun" part of them behind so they play an almost doubled sided person! In church when no one they know is around they can pray and be a super Christian but when their friends are around they don't want to talk about Jesus because of what their friends might think of say. You can still be a fun, cool, and loving person by loving Jesus (especially so!). I know because I am super cool :). Well it is time to jump with both feet in! It is like ripping off a Band-Aid and it is the best thing ever!

The reality is other people really don't care. They don't care how you dress on a daily basis, if you take your faith seriously, especially if they don't (although I would hope they would support you!).  The person you should be worried about is Jesus.  How would he want you to dress, how would he want you to pray, and how would he like it if you were embarrassed of him? I always think that I am going to meet him face to face one day and I don't want him to be embarrassed by me!

Love Jesus, love your friends, love your family, and don't be afraid to share your love of Jesus and his Church with the world!!!

"...and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 10:22)


Ad Jesu Per Mariam,

Chris
christopheragarn@gmail.com


"Why are we more concerned with being socially accepted than with saving souls?"