|
|
My name is Micheal. I was raised in the Catholic Church. As I began high school, I rebelled against my parents. I also rebelled against God. I argued with priests about sins in thought, word, and deed. I could not understand how you could sin in thought. I married a girl I had dated in high school who was an agnostic. So at this point, I became an agnostic. We would sometimes make fun of people who had the same religious beliefs that I have now. As you might imagine, this godless marriage ended in divorce. Then, after the divorce I did not participate in communion since Catholic beliefs do not allow divorced people to receive Communion.
Later on, I married a woman who already had a son and we had two sons of our own. The first was born with a cleft lip and pallet. Surgeries followed and during one I can remember how a small girl was next to my son in the room. She could not keep quiet and I feared that my son was in pain and needed sleep. One time in particular I remember how this young girl, maybe six years old, was making all kinds of noise. I got up and as she was reaching out to be held I just gave her the most evil look you can imagine. Why God did not turn his back on me right then and there is beyond me. Years went by with little or no change in my religious life. I wanted to bring the boys to church, so they could make an informed decision, but it was difficult since their mother didn’t want to go. I’m certain some people with strong convictions bring their children to church anyway, but I had no conviction.
As time passed, we disagreed on the way to raise our children, as well as what to do with our spare time. Again divorce was the result. I then decided to go to church regularly, but only so the boys would be able to make a choice later in life. I was as yet untouched until an older women, who was sitting in front of me, turned to me after the service and said, “I noticed you did not go to communion.” I thought of the words in both the Catholic and the Episcopal churches “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” She then said, “Any baptized Christian can go to communion here.” I did not think of it then, but now, perhaps through this woman, God said the word. The next week I went to communion for the first time in 22 years. I remember the warmth I felt that day. At that point God began to take gentle control of my life. One Sunday, the sermon seemed to be telling me to go participate in something that I’d already decided against. So I began to play soccer. I know how odd that sounds, but I later found out why when I finally met the mother of a friend my boys had met at the soccer complex. I found her to be a Christian woman seeking a church. This resulted in my current marriage. I now have the pleasure of discussing many religious topics with her.
God waited patiently for me to finally come to my senses and then he began to influence my daily life in a positive way. I should have realized long ago that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me. He took my sins upon himself so that I could have eternal life! |
|
