My faith journey has been marked by a few seasons that have brought me closer to God. I’d like to share about one of those seasons with you today.

I grew up in a practicing Catholic family that was very involved in our parish life. My older sibling’s involvement in various Catholic groups and events inspired me to also be quite active in my own faith life. My own participation in these various groups and activities gradually solidified my faith and also provided me with solid, faith-based friendships. Over time I also became a ministry leader, but my actual prayer and faith life was immature. I also didn’t fully understand what it meant to be Catholic, or appreciate the depth of God’s love for me.

In my first year of university I got to interact with some Catholic missionaries on campus, who provided me with a clear and simple instruction of the faith and invited me to prioritize my relationship with Jesus. It was difficult for me to define my relationship with Christ, and I wasn’t sure if I felt fully ready or worthy to embrace placing Him at the centre of my life. Nonetheless, I intentionally made that decision to prioritize Christ. All of a sudden, my life felt – pretty much the same! And that’s OK – God often works in the silence of our hearts. Shortly thereafter, as I continued to participate and lead in various ministries, I started feeling that I should live my faith more fully and authentically. This led me to start trying to pray every day and go to confession more often, encountering God’s mercy and forgiveness on a more frequent basis.

Later that summer, I experienced a deeper understanding of Jesus’ personal love and suffering for me one evening at Mass. Just after I received Communion, I looked at the very crucifix behind this altar, and was drawn toward the eyes of Jesus. Those eyes spoke to me in a deeply powerful way. They looked like they were half-open, and showed how exhausted Jesus was.

Through this, Christ seemed to be telling me how much He had suffered on the cross for me, in order to pay the price for my sins and give me the opportunity to go to Heaven. This moving experience opened my heart to the depth of His love for me.

Since then, over the years I have experienced other seasons bringing me closer to the Lord’s heart. This doesn’t mean that my life is perfect or that my faith journey has been linear – I have also often had seasons of desolation, doubts and struggles. What I can say is that I feel confident that the Lord has made Himself and His love for me known to me in various ways: through other people, through beautiful art, and through the sacraments.