hellloooooo in christ

[infinitelove]

Hi everyone, i'm a 21 year old college male student living in New York City with my mother and 2 younger siblings. I was born Roman Catholic, did the whole 9 yards. Baptized,confirmation, penance, eucharist up until 13-14. Me being young i did not question what i was doing, since it was about Christ and all hehe. My close family wasn't a practicing catholic family so i stopped going to church during my high school years and onward. I knew about Jesus being God but i really didn't truly know about Christ nor did i put any importance to him at that time.

For the last 2-3 years my mom (went through a hurtful divorce, with lots of emotional scars still today) has found lots of love and help from the RCC making many friends, listening sermons from the priests, loving church worship, etc. So her faith has been reignited in the Church.

8 months ago she took me to a youth retreat for the weekend to a charismatic catholic church. I remember feeling peaceful, happy because many of us youths were weeping,praising god the whole weekend healing our troubled homes. I remember going to mass the sunday after the retreat, feeling righteous and holy but something was missing. The mass felt empty, vain, boring to me (i couldn't understand why.) Wasn't thrilled about doing rosaries, other prayers, confessing my sins to a man, believing Christ is in a bread, praising jesus once a week in a church building. All these masses of healing,prosperity, happiness, etc. I wondered why so many rules/regulations to follow Christ and make him happy.

2 or 3 months after my retreat weekend and still going to church i would walk by a saved homeless man today around the park, and he had signs like around the corner like "salvation is of grace"... "get out of the church"... "christmas: satan's coming to town ho ho ho". Wasn't after like the 2rd or 3rd occasion walking past him, that i let go of my pride and just follow what my heart was saying and to speak with that man personally. Spoke with wisdom and truth, he would refer me to a couple of websites, videos to see. Told me to buy my King James bible, interlinear bible, answer my questions about the purpose of religion, satans tricks/deception, theology, etc.

Ive been growing spiritually with my faith with Jesus Christ alone, the king of kings the one that deserves all the glory in this world. That by following him we will be saved, at the cost of denying ourselves and suffering/struggling with trials in his name which this world hates. It isn't easy but we have to keep our bodies undefiled for the holy ghost of course. Amazing his mercy and love. Oh praise that he has opened my eyes/ears that by following this world and its pleasures will lead to death. I just pray more and more people, especially more of my family get to know him, because he resides in your heart and gives you a love that is so pure and divine

[Mary]

Well Praise God for that! Welcome to the forum

[Vic]

Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself and your journey to find Christ. May you continue to grow in grace and knowledge of Him. Blessings

[Lois]

Hi and