Religions

When I was in U.S. It was hard to attend the mass even on Sundays (unlike in the Philippines where I can do even daily masses), because of the transportation. I do not know how to drive. So, when there were other sect who will try to speak with me about faith, about bible, about Christ, I welcomed and entertained them. I said, “okay… anyway, you are spreading the words of God and it’s not bad, in fact, everybody should do it that way – PROCLAIM THE WORDS OF GOD, SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS, SHARE THE HOLY BIBLE!”

A non-Catholic housemate invited me to listen with their “beliefs”. I entertained the invitation. At first they were just two young men, follow-up day they were four, next visit 5 with their head elder, I guess. They questioned, they shared, they convinced… They sent me emails and that was the time I frankly let them know:

. . . “I’m glad that you are spreading God’s words…By the way, I found a real treasure that has been handed from my ancestors that I am so blessed and so grateful to them that they shared it to me and that is to be a Roman Catholic. My faith simply grows with God's mercy and love. No one can take it away me…. We can be friends though…”

Right after, they never came back again and they stopped convincing. I should not be feeling guilt, coz I told them, we can be friends though…

Then, another friend of mine brought me in their “faith”, religion. I attended out of curiosity. So, I witnessed their way of worshipping or praying.

I have friends with different beliefs or faith or religion. They were UCCP, Seventh Day Adventist, Aglipayans (IFI-Iglesia, Filipina Independiente), Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah’s Witness, Anak Angkan. (To all of you friends, I thank God for sending all of you to my journey in life. You then helped me though to see the beauty of life, you let me see the beauty of Roman Catholic, you even inspire me to live and die with my faith. Because through all that I witnessing, experiencing, and I talking to you, still I could gratefully say, “I AM SO MUCH BLESSED TO BE A ROMAN CATHOLIC!”

I must be GRATEFULL and with great GRATITUDE to my ancestors that I was born and raised as Roman Catholic.

I am so BLESSED and FULL OF GRACE that Roman Catholic has many Saints! That simply means, many will TESTIFY the Catholic Faith! All of the saints had so much inspiring, heartwarming, life-giving stories. They all denounce earthly possessions and embraced to suffer, take the cross and follow the missions of Christ on earth.

Religion cannot be debated. When we start to talk all about religion, it has no end. It’s like all things will pass, but God’s words remain forever. It is the most important, most crucial and the most interesting topic though. Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Imagine ALL LIVES are covered inside the bible. Your life, his/her life, my life… our lives can be found in the holy Bible. Who can fully comprehend then all the mysterious words in the Bible?

Which is why there are many who asked, who noticed that when there are debates or talks with religion, if there is no Roman Catholic representatives appearance, RC believers will just simply most of the times prefer to just keep their mouth closed. God speaks in silence!

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- Written: Nov 2010 @ Phoenix, Az