This isn't my normal kind of post. It really has nothing to do with OCIA but more with my personal life...I hope it can encourage others. If there's one thing I've learned over the past few months, it's that job searching is as much a test of faith as it is a test of patience. Recently, I found myself rereading 1 Samuel 1, the story of Hannah, and her unwavering prayer to God for a child. She prayed with such fervor, with a heart wide open, trusting that God would hear her. And as I navigate my own season of uncertainty, her story has resonated with me in ways I never expected. A few weeks ago, I applied for a position at my former company. I’m currently working in retail, and while I thought this job would be a good fit, the reality has been different. The challenges aren’t necessarily with the company itself, but with the specific location where I work. Since December 16, 2024, I have felt both mentally and physically drained. By December 27, I knew it was time to st...
Tonight, during my rosary prayers, a thought struck me so profoundly that I couldn’t help but laugh in awe. I have long believed in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but suddenly, it all clicked in a way I had never considered before. We read in Scripture that God was in the burning bush when He spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2-4). He was in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, guiding the Israelites through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22). These were not just symbols or metaphors—God was truly present in these forms. So, if He could manifest Himself in fire, cloud, and even a bush, why is it so difficult for some to believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist? For centuries, many have struggled with transubstantiation—the teaching that the bread and wine at Mass become the actual Body and Blood of Christ while retaining the appearance of bread and wine. Some argue that it’s merely symbolic, that Christ’s words at the Last S...