He Has Risen: A Personal Reintroduction to Jesus
I have been going back to Catholic Church mass the past few months. It is in the incredibly beautiful church in Glens Falls, NY named after Saint Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The last time I attended a religious service was back in November for my grandfather’s funeral, and before that, it was back in 2017. This is my reintroduction to Jesus.
Growing up, my life was filled with Catholicism. I was baptized as a baby, introduced to the Eucharist as a child, confirmed as a teenager, spent the first eight years of schooling at a private Catholic church, called Saint Charles, and visited small towns in Kentucky for week-long religious retreats with Habitat for Humanity. While the nature of Catholicism was a reoccurring theme in my early life, there were many moments of doubt and hopelessness throughout those experiences.
Mixed throughout was the incessantly relentless bullies in my school life. While bullies were considered common, it severely chipped away at my positive outlook on life; creating a dark cloud that stayed with me for many years. It was hard to focus on the good that the pastors preached from the pulpit when my fellow schoolmates were so cruel. And as I progressed into adulthood with religious doubt, I slowly moved away from the teachings of the Bible and the familiarity of the church proceedings.
The idea of believing in religion became unthinkable, until I met Michael Biele in 2015. He messaged me one day after seeing a post I made on Reddit, a website known for thousands of like-minded groups. His kindness, intelligence, and love helped me realize my sexuality. He helped repair my internal psyche from the many years of bullying, and he brought the story of the Jesus back into my life.
The story of Jesus is one of eternal truth, a symbol of peace and prosperity. It is a story that has transcended time across many cultures, histories, and religions, not just Christianity. The evils in the world, from greed, pride, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth, destroy the shared bond between all of us. “Love thy neighbor” is the golden rule, something that even some Christians forget to hold dear.
Being gay does not preclude anyone from believing in the story of Jesus. We are all different and that is beautiful; it should be celebrated. But in recent decades, it has caused a strife that has torn many communities and countries apart. It shouldn’t be. Celebrating our differences is the definition of peace and prosperity. Loving each other, no matter our sexuality, skin color, origin, gender, or deficiencies, is what the message that Jesus tried to instill to his followers.
During the homily this morning, the pastor at St. Mary’s Church reminded us about the difference between final death and everlasting life. Final death does not only relate to end of the mortal life but with the moments in our lives that feel impossible to move past. Whether a severe illness, a marriage ending, a friendship forgotten, an all-consuming depression, or a changing political landscape, we can learn that life continues on as the story of Jesus’ teachings show that everlasting life is always there for those that believe. Our minds can play tricks on us, making us believe that our struggles are too much to bear. But if we lean on our faith, our friends, and our family, we can conquer our current struggles and learn to weather the storm.
As Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus today, we must remember to rid ourselves of the evils in the world and accept all, no matter our differences. And to bring about the ability to move past the final death’s in our lives and move on to everlasting life. Happy Easter!
