A TESTIMONY
I lived in sin for a long time and pretended that my private faith is enough to get closer to God, and I do not need a church, confession and Holy Mass.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Ps 32:1).
I am 44 years old, and I am a Christian belonging to the Catholic Church. Ten years ago, I started reading the Bible myself, mainly the New Testament, and in it the four Gospels, paying special attention to the sayings of Jesus Christ. The steadfast logic and a sense of the only possible motivation for Jesus’ works being God’s love for man was what attracted me step by step.
For a long time, I thought that my private faith is enough to get closer to God, and I didn’t need a Church, the sacrament of penance, Holy Mass, etc. However, three years ago, after a short telephone conversation with the priest, I decided to go to church for a year to finally decide after a year whether it makes any sense.
It ended in a December confession, the first after nearly 20 years of adult life and marriage. And what happened later was a greater reward than I could expect, which is difficult to describe, and even more difficult to be understand by those who haven’t experienced it: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” ( Ps 32.1).
I experienced Christmas as if my own child had been born – or maybe even greater, because when my children were born, my awareness was much more limited.
I’ve been thinking about myself for 5-7 years; What’s wrong with me that despite the happy marriage, healthy children, a stable situation in the company I don’t feel the joy of life. I had the desire to help others, but until now it didn’t manifest in a practical way, it was rather a certain plan for the future, primarily after the children become independent. I used to think about politics, I was even at several meetings, but I told myself that it wasn’t for me; Although deliberations, discussion and managing are things that I have to deal with for 20 years, I felt that the strange compromises and the fight for “the material” were not for me.
I got a blast in my head, when I realised that the greatest source of people’s suffering was to distance themselves from God, a true spiritual dearth, and life in the pain of loneliness. I discovered with horror how many people live with a “stone around their neck”, which doesn’t allow them to live in happiness with God. This personal discovery showed me the greatest, most wonderful thing that can be done in life – to help people discover God – the fullness of love in their lives. The love you can give another person.
Currently, I have been experiencing special joy for over half a year and I pray every day, so that the Holy Spirit would never really leave me and remain in me forever. I try to keep with all my strength to keep pure thoughts and feelings and constantly evangelise myself and everyone who surrounds me so that the Holy Spirit freely spills into all souls. I believe, and actually I am convinced, that what is most important to a person is contained in the life of Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God leading to the knowledge of the living, true God.
The Christian duty, our duty, is to live the Gospel and proclaim it wisely, with love and as often as is possible. Not only when someone comes to us for advice, but taking the initiative to enter the sphere of the other person. We should remember that evangelisation consists in serving another person who needs God, even when they is not aware of it. Love and wisdom are two attributes, without which the opportunities for the development of God’s word are drastically decreased.
In my opinion, today’s time is waiting for the rain of the Word of God to pour down. The situation in our country and around the world is particularly favourable, because neither materialism nor totalitarianism nor democracy without a spirit nor any cult satisfy the spiritual needs of humanity. Hence the rapid increase in the desire to accept the Word of God and the desire to return to the Catholic Church of those who left the faith and those coming to the Church who didn’t know it before.
Can something encourage a person to look for God more than the testimony of those who have found God? The history of humanity recalls the madness of the Alaskan goldrush. Where did it come from? After all, hardly anyone had a chance to see this gold physically before they decided to travel to Alaska. And yet many believed the testimony of other people, and newspapers writing about it. The only difference is that God can always be found by anyone who is looking for him (Ps 9:11; Mt 7:7-8), and will give to everyone without measure (Ps 34:11) – and the gold in Alaska was only found by some of those who sought it, and even those who found it didn’t find happiness with it.
Have you ever wondered why the newly converted seem a little crazy? They are somewhat wound-up and joyful. Really believing: they’ve found a treasure greater than the most found in Alaska, because it is eternal, real, most important in human life, giving real joy of life, and consolation . . . What’s more, they want to share this treasure with others! I don’t recall that any “lucky devil” after finding gold in Alaska simply distributed everything to the needy. And yet faith, on the contrary, multiplies when we share it. Even if we do it inefficiently, too fast, too insistent.
That is why I also share the faith I found with everyone I meet. I also share it with you because I care about you . . . And Jesus cares even more about you, He who gave his life for your salvation.
Salvio
