Wednesday, March 17, 2010

My Faith Journey as a Catholic

When I was a child my mother taught the basic tenents of the catholic faith including the Bible. She taught me to pray every morning and before going to sleep, she even try to motivate me in going to Mass on Sundays but of course during those time I am not really fond of going to Mass because for me when I was a kid attending Mass is just a waste of time for me, but of course I was really ignorant of the truth during those times, it is why whenever I remember those times I see myself as a lax catholic, but of course it did not last long, because my interest in going to Mass started after my first communion since this was th first time that I will receive the Lord in Holy Communion. Because I am still ignorant of some tenents of my faith during those times, me and my sister was once been invited by a non-catholic born-again group to attend their Bible School, since there was nothing wrong with that we consented, but of course I have a srong devotion that time to the Blessed Virgin Mary, because for me the Blessed Virgin Mary is like my mother. Well the weeks in the Bible study are nice since we were been taught about the Bible, BUT the only thing that I really don't like to happen those times was this. During our Bible study I was really shocked to hear that they now try to teach us something which is against our catholic faith. They try to teach us the teachings of Martin Luther and then the first belief they attack was the catholic belief on the Immaculate Conception since that was the patron saint of our village. I didn't realize that they who say 'I love you to the Lord' now try to destroy His mother. After that it really hurts me and I really don't like to listen since that was the only thing after the Eucharist that I really don't like to abandon.

I am not been convinced of what they are saying, because this was the irony of what happened. Because I was really so childish and innocent at that time I brought with me a prayer book (but actually I don't kno that it was the collectio rituum) with the two stampitas or holy card of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I don't know why I brought this thing in public and at the headquarters of Born Again who attack the Blessed Virgin Mary, I even openly exposed them at their eyes and even during prayers make the sign of the cross......if we will ask why I do that...then my answer would be...'well I am a Catholic and I am just living my Catholic Faith, if they attack me from what I did then I'll leave that place and never to return because I don't want my faith to be disrespected'....If they want me to know more about the Bible, then fine, so be it.....BUT if they even touch what my faith teaches me...then sorry....I think there is no reason for me to be there.......since I am not doing anything bad to them and I just being Christian in my approach to them especially in being friendly, yet in insulting my Catholic Christian faith then there is no reason to call it a Christian way of life.....it is why I don't really understand them whenever they call themselves as Christians but the way they treat the Catholic Church is not being a Christian way.....so after that I didn't again join whenever they have a vacation Bible School because I expect already what I would hear from them.....after that I started to know more about my catholic faith, I felt the urge to study more about it and read the Bible also.......there also times again that me my sister was been invited by other born-again groups....one time my sister's friend'Jinalyn Quick' who is a born again invited us in their Jamboree at the Trece Martires Cavite, so we went there but we don't know that there is something behind which shocked me a lot during the Jamboree, it's a bit nice but after that we were asked if we like to be baptized but in a deceptive manner, I don't know what to do but of course did not believe on that, they deceivingly convinced us that it was not in entering any religion but only in cleansing us from our sins which is a half-truth......so me and my sister give in to their suggestion BUT of course I am very doubtful on what they did.....it is why we were been baptized by them in a deceiving way...but of course I did not believe on the validity of that baptism since there is only one baptism that I recognize and that was my catholic baptism when I was still a child.........because we were being deceived unknowingly we went home but I am still doubtful on them and on what they did.....so when I became involved in being an altar server in the Catholic Church I started to study my catholic faith more and more and know it very well to be well preapred in the future.....so I confessed to the priest what happened to me at Trece that I never acknowledge nor believe that kind of baptism being given to us deceivingly by the non-catholics and of course I said to myself that I will remain faithful and hold-on to my catholc faith until death and will not give in to the suggestions of non-catholics and it would be hard for them to convert me already how much they try to attack my catholic faith........these two are the things which make me a faithful and strong catholic........First, was my love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ escpecially His true and real presence in the Holy Eucharist escpecially in Holy Mass and also my love and devotion to His Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary....because for me if I love the Lord Jesus I must also love His mother which is Mama Mary not as a distraction but to know the Lord Jesus more, because the Blessed Virgin Mary knows more about our Lord Jesus Christ than any of us do since She was His mother.......that what keeps me a strong catholic until death....of course I am not generalizing all non-catholics...maybe some are been unchristian towards catholics but there are also some who are friendly and who respect my faith and being open about it and I have a friend who is a methodist pastor who is so open and is friendly to me without touching what I believe these people are those people who live their Christian faith and is being Christian to others in their approach unlike some who became fundamentalists already without showing any respect to others especially towards the belief of the Roman Catholic Church

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Ang Pagtatapos ng Thesis Defense kahapon

Isa na nmng yugto ang natapos at yun ang thesis defense......pagkatapos na maraming pagpupyat at pagpapagod at pagkatapos ng mga kaba at takot ay natapos na rin ang thesis defense kahapon ng March 16, 2010.......talgang nakakakaba ang magdefend dahil di mo alam ang sasabihin mo pag nasa harapan ka na.....heheheheheh...but anyway.....salamat tlga kay Lord at di Niya ako pinabayaan dahil minor revisions lng ulit ang pinagawa sa akin....Thanks po Lord! At ibinabalik ko pong lahat ito sa Inyo! Salamat po tlga!