I Am Still a Catholic

“I pray not only for them, but also for those who

believe in me because of their message.

 I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be one,

so that the world will be that you sent me.”

~ John 12: 20, 21bc

I was born into a Catholic Christian family and my parents exercising their faith presented my twin brother and me to be baptized into the Catholic faith! Through this baptism, I was put to death with Christ Jesus and hope to be raised by the same Lord and Master of my life. However this is not why I love being a Catholic.

Ever since my transition from Nigeria to the United States of America, many of my friends have continued to question why am I still a Catholic given the lifestyle in the western world, especially in context of the secularism and obsession with freedom or right of the individual person, which sometimes disregards the tenets of Christian values.

I will express my convictions by stating some parameters that did not inform my decision to remain a Catholic in the United States of America before enumerating why I am still one.

First and foremost I believe in the universality of the Catholic faith and see in me the partial fulfillment of the prayer of my Lord and my God and savior Jesus Christ as written by John the evangelist in the Gospel according to John! The Catholic Church in the United States of America is very well organized and recognized by all and the similarities she shared with my upbringing clearly make it easy for me to worship within her fold. Nevertheless, that did not influence my decision to continue to practice my Christian faith as a Catholic.

Daily Hardship and Doubts

What I considered to be hardship is actually God’s Spiritual treasure in clay pots that reside within us, enabling the believer to see the light of God shines through our heart and bring us to the eternal knowledge of the almighty God’s glory shinning in the face of Christ. It is this knowledge that has enabled me to persevere in my times of hardship, doubts and fear. As Saint Paul rightly put it in his letter to the Corinthians

“We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed. At all times we carry in our mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life also may be seen in our bodies.

I have been subjected to untold hardship, as a result of many unjust circumstances, misrepresentation and mishandling in the hands of so many folks within the country and in some cases leading to underemployment and none at all, inability to fulfill my obligation as a father without resort to begging and have been subjected to series of humiliating experiences beyond my imagination. I am a medical scientist by trade and my wife a Medical Nurse, and yet due in part to man insatiability, quest to make profit and serve money instead of God, associates and services you subscribed to act on your case or circumstances without compassion, justice and mercy, and as long as they continue to make money out of you, they careless!

A friend of mine approached me and encourages me to reach out to Catholic Charity network for help; unfortunately that door of opportunity did not materialize.

With barely money to eat, let alone pay my professional dues, another friend suggested I approach the Catholic Church Immigration Attorney Network with the hope of getting a “Pro Bono” consultation and help with my case! I did and again unfortunately there was a limit to how committed the network could help me and that door too was effectively close.

I was faced with how to pay for my mortgage, put food on the table and provide my family with some basic necessities and a friend suggested I contact Catholic Relief, and when I did I was re-routed to the Catholic Charity, since I am resident within the country and back to the closed door sequence again.

However, I did get some relief from my local parish, St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Baltimore and many other community based assistance network run by other churches like the Save the Captive Free network. These helps were timely and with gratitude to God, it translates them all into enough to get by.

Whatever hardship I might have to endure is nothing compared to the suffering Lord, Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for my sins. And by the help of the Holy Spirit, it was revealed to me through the scripture that anyone who desires to serve God of live a life desiring to please God will suffer persecution. Therefore the adversity I faced might subject me to temporal physical pain; however the enduring gifts of waiting upon the Lord and overcoming the world by the Blood of Jesus Christ far outweigh this minute limitation.

In a nutshell, I am not a Catholic today because of some kind of material relief that I was provided with by the church in times of my distress and doubts about how much did God really love me and if he did, how come I have to go through all these circumstances that weigh me down so much?

My Faith in Progress

My faith in God is rooted in the manifestation of his love for me that are infinite, steadfast and enduring. I have come to the realization that without God I can do nothing and salvation is through none other than my Lord and personal savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is within anyone who confesses that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God!

The first reason why I love being a Catholic and remain one is primarily because I have been saved by my Lord Jesus Christ, and without an iota of doubt, testify before all, that he is the Son of the living God, born of a woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary and through his death and resurrection have won the path to eternal life for me and all those who will believe in his name!

I am a living testimony of the grace of God; meaning I do not deserve all that I have been blessed with on account of my unworthiness. On several occasions I continue to receive the Body and Blood of my Lord, Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and any time I do, there is this inexpressible, indescribable and immeasurable joy that overshadowed me and I always hope it never depart. It filled my entire being and I sometimes seem to have the vision of myself in the Garden of Gethsemane being comforted by the angel through the stress of life.

My Catholic faith always challenges me to see life beyond the scope of my human nature! Through the various mysteries in my faith; be it the joyful, sorrowful and glorious and luminous, be it in the prayers asking the Saints of God to help intercede for me or the interventions on a daily basis by the almighty God in my life, I have come to develop a kind of personal relationship with Jesus Christ in which I believe that no matter the storms in my life he will carry me through and bring glory to his name!

I see my challenges in life like taking a trip with the Lord of my life, Jesus Christ inside a boat, that is experiencing the wild and reckless waves of the sea and the winds are against me and in panic I called unto my Lord and Savior and I am guaranteed his blessed assurance and presence by telling me “Be calm and do not be afraid! It is I” and then turn to the storms and say “Quiet, be still” and behold the ranging storms calm down and become still! The storms did not disappear from my life, but my Lord Jesus Christ calmed and made them stilled in a way that I can continue to witness to his glory as long as  live!

Blessed Sacrament Experience

There was a time I went to the Blessed Sacrament to spend a quiet moment with my Lord and from nowhere I started crying; I was tired, frustrated and almost giving up due to the burden and circumstances weighing on me. Through the quietness, I heard the calming voice, reassuring me that everything will be okay! I opened my eyes, saw nobody and ran out of the church in panic. As I was driving home, I began to think about what has just happened! Well I got home; behold the almighty God has made a way for some of my urgent responsibilities to be fulfilled and I do not have to worry about the mortgage and bills for that month. However the true miracle on that day was not just my ability to take care of those bills for that month at all, rather I had an inner peace that neither circumstances nor lack of it could take away from me because of my union with God.

USA and Nigeria Experiences

Here in the United States of America, I noticed that the way we worship as Catholics in Nigeria is different from the style of service and without doubt, I greatly missed the charismatic services in which we freely express ourselves before the presence of the Lord, dancing and singing, sometimes loudly as you are led by the Holy Spirit. Additionally the Legion of Mary ministry has slight variations too, nevertheless the desire to worship God and love to be in his presence are so powerful and alive that along the way, I began to become aware of the many different gifts of the Holy Spirit within the Catholic Church.

As a Catholic, I believe in the intercessions of the Saints and the guardian of the Angels and I also believe in inter-personal prayers of intervention too. There was a time I had asked for a favor from God through Saint Jude (this was the same Saint I asked for his intercession regarding my decision to get married to my wife, while I was in Nigeria and a parishioner of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Abuja), and it came to pass, not the way I wanted it, but retrospectively Jesus Christ answered that prayer in the best possible way my soul could ever have imagined. 

Then there was another time, I desperately sort the intercession of St. Anthony, St. Rita and the Blessed Virgin Mary, begging them to please ask Jesus Christ to help me secure this job! Yes, I could have gone to Jesus Christ directly as some will argue, but my unworthiness, makes me to rely on these saints given the desperation and the state of mind. Well, as it turns out, I did not get that job in spite of the organization doing all it can get offer me the position. I was flown to the west coast, accommodated in one of the best hotel, given the best car to drive to and from the interview and have a realtor shows me the town! I love it so much and I told God if he really loves me, he will help me get this job!

Today, as I reflect upon my faith as a Catholic, my heart is full of gratitude to God for his steadfastness, faithfulness and infinite love for me! I did not get the job, and that has nothing to do with my qualifications, because I was told the interview went well! In part the job was not given to me because of the mishandling of one part of my immigration papers by a previous attorney. However, the most spectacular way that God answered my prayer was to keep my family together! When I departed to assume the position initially, my family was like one without a father; the way my children reacted to my departure and the loneliness that I felt all add up to why I believe that even though I could have been paid about $80, 000.00 per year for a start in that position, the plan God has for me is the best! What shall it profit me if I gain the whole world and lose my soul? And Vanity upon vanity is vanity!

Jesus Christ have manifested his love for me uncountable times and continue to show himself as my Lord and savior, who will never fail nor allow me to be put to shame.

The greatest mystery in my life as a Catholic is the union of my desires with the will of God and how out of nowhere, my Lord Jesus Christ continued to anticipate my needs and surpass them all. I am a living testimony of the untiring effort of God, who is the Potter to make me into a better person on earth until I become the vessel of his perfection, and then he will call me back home to eternal glory.

I am Still a Catholic

I am a Catholic today because in spite of the variations in the style of worshiping in the church, whether I am in Nigeria or here in the USA, God is the same and the Jesus Christ I knew from Nigeria is still the same that is taking care of me! God's love is not about the location, but the believer.

I am still a Catholic today because of God’s divine providential care that is nothing short of miracles! For over three years and counting, as a result of unjust treatment from an attorney, my family and I have been without any form of income since I cannot take employment until my case is resolved. However through it all, and in spite of the fact that I rejected the overtures of those who want me to use the alternatives to engage in illegality, which could have provided temporary relief, my God continue to come through for my family.

I am still a Catholic today because, God has revealed to me that I MUST carry my cross and follow him! In other words, whether my circumstances are good or not so good, since my God is unchangeable, I too must continue to serve the Lord my God with the whole of my heart, strength and might.

I am still a Catholic today because whenever I received my Lord and my God in the Eucharist, my burden becomes light and the yoke easy. At St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church where I serve as Altar Server, many of the parishioners do ask me I do a great job whenever I assist the priest during Mass. In reality, I love to be up on the altar and serve because I feel a bond, closeness to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. When the Mass is in progress, I communicate my gratitude to Jesus Christ and discuss some of the challenges I am facing and end with thanksgiving especially upon receiving the Body and Blood of my Lord under the appearances of bread and wine.

My faith continue to undergo evolution on a daily basis and when I retrospect I thank my parents, family and my catechism master, the priest and religious sisters and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Otukpo, Nigeria. This community changed my life by sowing the mustard seed in me and over four decade later, I can still visualize their love, admonishment and support in guiding me to become the father, son, husband, friend, benefactor and above all the Catholic Christian that I am today!

My Expectations

My expectation in life is to bring glory to God through my life!

Jesus Christ told me to carry my cross and follow him, period. The disciples of the Lord did carry their cross and follow him and behold they are saints today because they fought the good fight and received the crown of life everlasting and are now with the Lord in his kingdom of glory.

Saint Pope John Paul II, who I was privilege to meet with during his pastoral trip to Nigeria, when I was a member of the National Catholic Corpers of Nigeria, fought the good fight of faith and he is with the Lord in his heavenly glory. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., fought the good fight and he is now with his Lord, having seen the mountain top! I am also fighting on a daily basis to preserve my faith and I too hope to receive my crown, and not only me, but all who put their trust, hope and faith in God through Jesus Christ.

My parents brought me up, sacrificing everything to offer me a better life, the greatest being the introduction of Jesus Christ into my life from an early age and nurturing me through until I became an adult in the faith receiving my first Holy Communion, the Sacrament of Confirmation and finally that of Matrimony. I expect the almighty God to use me as an instrument of peace, love and prosperity for them and humanity, so that through me, in me and with me, my Lord Jesus Christ will be manifested in glory.

Vision

I was born and baptized as a Catholic not by my choice, but through the intervention of God working through my parents. However it was my personal decision to remain a follower of my Lord and my God Jesus Christ the Son of the Almighty God and Creator of the universe and today with gratitude I thank the Lord of lords and King of Kings for helping me to abide with him.

The Catholic faith I profess is not unique to all my family members, friends and benefactors and community at all. As a matter of fact, some of my siblings are Christians of non-Catholic background, some are Muslims and others are African Traditional Worshiper and there are those who claim not to even believe in any God at all.

My Catholic faith, through her teachings challenges me to love them as I would love myself, because they too are children of God, created in the image and likeness of the almighty and by divine intervention given the chance to be saved through our Lord Jesus Christ openhandedness in dying for all mankind. Jesus Christ did not die only for Catholic, but for the entire mankind and whether you are Christian or not, the almighty God has mapped out the path to eternal salvation through Jesus Christ his only Begotten Son and savior of the world.

Jesus Christ loves me beyond measure and the same is applicable to any human being on the surface of the earth. As a result of the fallen from grace of our first parents Adam and Eve, God device a means to return all men back to his grace and a share in the eternal glory planned for man from the beginning of the world and this led to Jesus Christ dying for all, so that we who believe in him can have life and have it abundantly.

Whenever I think of this infinite love and sacrifices manifested in so many ways; healing of the sick, feeding of the hungry and even the bringing to life the dead, as we saw in the case of Lazarus, why on earth will I not want to remain united with the God that I knew from my childhood, the same that my parents introduced to me?

I am therefore still a Catholic because my God is unchangeable, his love is steadfast, and his mercy endures forever and as for my life on earth, only my God knows the end from the beginning and as long as I walk with him, even though I may go through challenges “Fire”, the almighty will not abandon nor forsake me, and he will provide all my needs according to his riches in glory and when the curtain falls, I hope to be in the bosom of my Lord Jesus Christ in his Kingdom of eternal glory!

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father,

I thank you so much for giving birth to me and counting me worthy to serve your only Begotten-Son and my Lord and savior Jesus Christ in line with the faith of my parents in your Catholic and mystical body of Christ.

Help me to be your instrument of peace, love and hope today.

Above all, bless those who have lost faith in you because of the challenges of life and heal their circumstances so that they can return to the faith again.

I am a work in progress and acknowledged my weakness, imperfections and doubts.

Pleas O Lord, my God help me to become a better person, for behold I am the clay and you are the potter in my life, and I offer all my freedom to you, do with me as thou will.

With gratitude I commend humanity into your loving care today and in Jesus Christ name, I present my petitions with thanksgiving in my heart. Amen.

Glory be to Jesus!

Honor to Mary!!

May the good Lord bless his words in our heart!

Ref: John 12, Colossians 2, 2 Corinthians 4, Matthew 14, Ecclesiastes 1, Mark 8 

Podeh2016