On Religion:

As we are currently on the last of the three days of the Triduum i think it is only appropriate that i write about this particular subject.

I was sitting in church for the holy friday service yesterday and i began thinking, which incidentally is almost a dangerous thing for my mind to do lately, but back to the original topic. Father Mike's sermon was about how the triduum is supposed to get us out of our comfort zone and also to serve rather than be served (washing feet, venerating the cross, etc). I realized just how different my approach to my faith has become.

my religion at one time was very central to me and i didn't care who knew. Now, i still gladly tell people my faith but when it comes down to exactly how much i enjoy being involved, i'm not as up-front. A part of me knows it's stupid, but a part of me still is afraid that people will judge me because of how involved i am in my church. So, i have decided that i'm letting that all go; it'll be hard but i know those who are my friends will recognize that i'm finally freeing myself and letting them in more to who i am. here goes, this is my first step to being more open:

I am Catholic, i was raised into a strict Catholic family. I attend every Sunday Mass, every holy day of obligation, and every service not required but that we as catholics believe is important. You already know that, but what you may not realize is that i enjoy doing so. I am also an altar server, have been since the 6th grade. This is something i liked, somehting that used to bring me closer into the Mass itself. Lately i have realized that i wish ot become an EM (eucharistic minister) instead and i have been attempting to go through this training. I also attend a weekly youth religious ed group/church social group. I think this is an important thing for me to be with people who share my faith so we can discuss it in a social setting. I have fun with it, we go to laser tag, etc.

The other thing is that i am also questioning my faith. Since birth, i have unquestionably accepted that the doctrine/teachings are what i believe unconditionally, but as i grow older it becomes harder to accept. Don't get me wrong, much of it i believe very strongly and follow it more strongly. But there are a few specific areas of the Catholic faith and teachings that i have been asking myself about: what do i really believe?