Jul 9, 2006

Confirmation in the Faith

My Catholic faith in Jesus Christ is my most valuable possession. I don't remember much about being confirmed by the Bishop, except for the gentle slap on my face to remind me to be ready to suffer for Christ. I do remember another confirmation in my faith.

When I was about eleven years old, I began to hear about doubts to the faith. Is Jesus Christ really the second person of the Blessed Trinity? Is the Catholic Church really the one true Church? Is there really a God?

One night as I lay in bed, I began to think about these questions. The Baltimore Catechism, the Bible, and nature were my main resources. I reasoned, if Jesus were not God, then how could He bring dead people back to life at His command? Alternatively, if Jesus were God, then He obviously came to teach men the truth. Truth and goodness exist, so a good and true God must exist. If God did not exist, then the universe would not be so beautiful.

I remember pondering all the questions that I could muster. Hours passed as I examined the implications of believing and not believing. At about 2 o'clock in the morning, I slept. God gave me great grace that night to decide that I would never doubt Him again.

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