“Loving people to Christ.” The first time I heard this phrase was my sophomore year of high school, when I was tricked into attending mass at a nearby church. Although presumed to be Christian, the Liberty Church accepts all religious denominations and seeks to break the barriers between religions. In spite of having not returned to Liberty since high school, the phrase continues to remain in the back of my mind.
Growing up, faith was a huge question mark in my head. I couldn’t tell you why I believed in God, though I did. I couldn’t answer standard questions about the Bible. I couldn’t tell you a lot about my religion, besides the fact that I was baptized. My mind flooded with endless questions. As a child, I curiously asked my parents and grandparents about God and His existence. I sought concrete answers to questions which require substantial reflection and thought. However, as I grew older, I didn’t feel the desire to find answers. By the end of high school, I didn’t see myself as a religious person at all. So, when I chose to enroll at Providence College, a Catholic college founded on the Dominican mission, it came as a surprise.
Honestly, I was intimidated by religion. I came to a college where a large majority of people either attended Catholic high school or were comfortable with their religion. I was uncomfortable talking about faith. All in all, the first week of freshman year, I could not see myself joining in Campus Ministry. However, midway through October a wonderful campus minister encouraged me to join peer ministry, and I’ve been ‘hooked’ ever since. Through peer ministry, I realized I wasn’t alone in my confusion and struggle to understand God and my faith. I found friends who felt the same intimidation and fear in messing up religion.
Since coming to college, I have rediscovered a relationship with my faith, and I have begun to answer many of the questions I had as a child. I have even started to uncover the mystery of “loving people to Christ.” It is more than loving people. It is the power and significance of loving other people as Jesus Christ loves us. God loves humanity so much He gave His only son to forgive our sins and to bring hope to the poor and the suffering. It is our responsibility to care for and to love our peers. Ultimately, in loving as Christ loves us, we can grow closer to Him.
Loving as Jesus loves requires patience and tolerance of others. It asks us to forgive, to compromise, to make sacrifices, to be humble and to pray. Attempting to love people as Christ loves is a test of faith. It is incredibly difficult to ignore human nature and to forgive the people who have wronged you. It takes strength to pray for the individuals who hurt you. It takes maturity to try to love like this.
To me, faith is more than believing in God or believing in the doctrines of the Catholic Church. I don't think you need to believe a set religion to be a faithful and spiritual individual. Faith is about understanding and accepting and living the spirit of Christ, all of which is extremely difficult. It's about loving other people so much you would give your life.
I continue to struggle with my faith. I struggle to overcome my own conceptions. I struggle to forgive and to trust. I do not have all the answers nor do I expect to find concrete answers soon. Each day I learn more and grow stronger in faith, and I try to keep my heart and mind open.
