It's been a while (as usual)

Let's face it... Either I'm busy or I'm lazy or I'm occupied with something else (not necessarily busy with it). I don't blog as often as I used to.

But but but... I have come across much in my absence. First one is a question I enjoy mulling over and something I would ask of you. If you call yourself Catholic, are you Catholic by choice, conviction or commitment? I can personally say that through my journey since my "conversion" or "reversion," I can honestly claim to fit all three. It is a gradual thing. The first C that came to me was conviction, second came choice and third, commitment. What about you? Which one are you?

I've also been reading Fr. Richard Simon's Q&A section, www.reverendknowitall.com, and he has some wonderful insight as always. Nobody knows or understands what a Sacrament is anymore. I reflected on this and thought deep. Also basing from what I learned from Dr. Scott Hahn's seminars in the past... A Sacrement, I deduced, is an oath. Look at it. In a way, with each Sacrament, we make oaths, don't we? Sacraments aren't a celebration of life although it is indeed an aspect to it. But we make oaths or vows. Sacraments are, more importantly, gifts to us. They are sense perceptible signs instituted by Christ to give us grace. Grace is also mercy. We don't deserve any of this and yet God gives them to us anyway. Grace is also about election. We have a God that loves to elect us. And with whatever 'choosing' he has for us, he gives us the grace to survive it. That's just a little tidbit. The point being is that there are parents who put their children through CCD and yet not live it themselves. Why bother putting your child to receive Sacraments when you yourself don't believe in it? What is the point for you? It's all about the pictures, the memories... You don't call a photographer for your first Holy Confession, do you?

I know when I married... during the planning phase, I never really gave importance to the reception. All that mattered to me was the exchange of vows during the rite... that I would be saying "I do" freely and living those vows of which I made.

Moving on... it's been hard for me to articulate my understanding of the faith. I seem to find it difficult but I try my best. All I know is that I have been given the gift to understand God, what He is about, what he does, how he does things and what He teaches. I understand and accept... but I sometimes have the difficulty articulating it... it feels like my brain is in knots trying to figure out what to say and how to explain a concept. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. All in all, it's nice to blog again after so long.