The one emotion that I felt most after becoming Catholic: joy. I also felt that I was spiritually coming home. My first confession/reception/confirmation/communion was amazing in so many ways. All I felt like doing was smiling! The graces of God are manifold! My first Holy Communion was especially wonderful. I was almost in a daze and was trembling slightly. I was meeting my lord! Throughout the whole day, I knew that I was submitting to something (and someone) much larger than myself. In an age when more and more people feel isolated, this is very important and quite refreshing. Of course, it also means submission to holiness and following Christ’s commandments, things I know from Protestantism. However, unlike with Protestantism, the Church is there to keep me on the straight and narrow! A wonderful and also sobering thought!

Now that the initial excitement has died down, I am focusing more on the realities of being a Catholic. I love the day to day elements of the faith: the Hours, the devotions, the intimate connection with our Lord. However, being a Catholic is not always easy (thank God for that)! Sin seems to always be crouching at my door. I fear, especially at first, I’ll be at confession more than I originally had planned. But, that’s ok, after all that’s what it’s there for: forgiveness and growth into holiness. I feel now that I’m on the path to serving God where he wants me to be. It’s not always going to be a bed of roses and will be full of struggle (after all Jesus didn’t have it easy), but I know in my heart it’s the path God is calling me to go down.