To Fear The Loss Of Faith

Hello Everyone,

So this is the continuation of the last post The Story Of A Candle. First off what made me decide to make something like that? Well not only am I in a rut with my own novel, I recently read this article and it made me begin to think:

I was 25 when I had my first kiss. Here's what I learned. 

At first I was tormenting myself over this article, basically feeling sorry for myself, and that’s when my thoughts turned a little darker. I began to think about the “what ifs” in my life, like “what if somewhere along the way, I lose my own faith?” or “what if no one will listen?” Thus “The Story Of A Candle” was born.

There are moments in my life where I realise I’ve been through that situation, where I almost lose faith, but then something amazing happens to restore it. So although my candle is still a little weak, it’s getting stronger. I have been knocked around a bit, in terms of my faith, but I’ve learned that going to church and having my quiet time with God refreshes me, it restores the faith that I have lost.

Ok, so that’s just a little summary of what I’m about to say, but stay with me, it’ll all make sense, that is…if you’ve got a religion you believe in.

So let’s start from the beginning. What you need to know is that I was pretty much raised as a Catholic, my parents went to church every Sunday; I went to Catholic primary and secondary schools, and I took part in all the initiation sacraments of the Catholic Church. Basically, I’ve led a sheltered Catholic lifestyle. That is not to say I’ve not learned a thing or two while I’ve grown up. In my schools we weren’t just dictated the bible and punished as you’d think. We were also taught little bits and pieces of other religions like Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism, etc. So I’m not that ignorant, and I am fully aware that each religion have their own traditions and principles that I respect.

Now skip forward to Sixth Form (the equivalent to college or the last few years of high school for some of you), where I’m thinking about university and what I want to do in the future. The idea that I’d be in a world, where people don’t quite understand my views on the world, or the views of the Catholic Church, finally hit me. I would no longer be sheltered as much, by the Catholic Church, or by any sort of spiritual guide, and that thought scared me the most. It didn’t matter if I was going into a new environment. It didn’t matter that I’d finally be in a “co-ed” environment. It didn’t matter that I was going into UNIVERSITY to get a DEGREE. What scared me most was the fact that my own faith would be shaken just because there would be people who do not understand (or like for that matter) the fact that I am a Catholic.

I don’t understand why they hold such animosity for us. I mean I know there are a many deeds in the history of Catholicism that I’m not proud of, but they have to understand that we’re also human, we’re not gods. I’ve used this quote many times before, and I have a feeling I’m going to use it many times more in the future, but I believe everyone needs to remember this:

“Religion is flawed on because man is flawed, all man!”

It is very easy to fault the religion itself because of the people that have influenced it, but at its core, religion is about faith and the belief that there is something more to our lives than simply being on this Earth. I mean, my faith has led me in many of my decisions. For example, my novel, the music I write/arrange/compose, the TV programmes and movies I watch, etc.

My faith has gone so far as to give meaning to everything I do. That is how I came to this subject while reading that article above. I always have to have meaning in everything, even in the names of each character of my novel have meaning. I always put some sort of meaning to whatever I do because without meaning, I don’t think we could function. For example, every movie has a meaning, if not explicit, it’s implicit, words have meaning, even paintings have some sort of meaning. This is why I’m actually glad I’m Catholic. It gives meaning to whatever happens to me.

Anyway, regardless of what has happened to me for the past two years, I am still glad I’m Catholic. I won’t fault others for believing what they believe in. If you don’t believe in a god, or a higher being, that’s up to you. If you think there’s meaning in life, and your purpose will eventually show itself, it’s your choice, but there is one thing you must remember. Do not be too aggressive in your conviction. If you try to convert me, know that I will listen to your point of view, but I will always believe that I will flourish under the Catholic religion. Everyone has their own way of worship; this is mine.

Well, that’s it for now; I know it’s a bit of a rant and a bit long but I hope you understand that it’s something I’ve been wanting to say for a long time. I know I’ve said it before, but I feel like repeating it, because it is not just something that can be put out there and then archived, it’s something that needs to be remembered.

So do with this post what you will, and God Bless! ^^

“Religion is flawed on because man is flawed, all man!”

The Story Of A Candle

Hello everyone,

So this post is going to be a bit different. It’s actually a prelude to a much more intense post. It’s actually veering away from the whole “encounter with Christ” sort of posts I’ve been posting up lately. Anyway, I’ll explain it later, for now, enjoy the story:

Once upon a time, there was a little girl. Her world was bleak, dark, and very much lonely. One day, she stumbled along a candle, standing in the middle of a deserted street. Feeling brave, she went up to it and using the matches in her pocket, she lit it.

When the wick burned brightly, her whole world changed. Gone were the looming shadows and scary monsters. In all honesty, the candle itself was very beautiful and because of its simple beauty, she wanted to show the whole world. So she set out to find the people who would like to see the candle too.

On her way, she did her very best to protect the candle, hiding it from the rain, the wind, the snow and sleet, the sun and moon too. Through it all, the candle burned brightly, and when she finally made it to a crowed part of town, she breathed a sigh of relief. She’d be able to show off her candle very soon.

As she traversed the many bodies, she learned one very important thing. The only thing that could blow out her pretty candle, were other humans. Squeezing past many people, she encountered many who wanted to blow out her flame, and so in her desperation she ran. She ran as fast as she could, away from the people who wanted to blow out the only light in her bleak world.

When she’d made it to safety, she breathed another sigh of relief and checked on her precious candle. She gasped in surprise as she gazed at the now weak flame. Through her rush to get away from the people who wanted to stop the light, the flame itself was almost blown away. Desperate she tried to keep the light going once more…

Can you guess what I’m talking about? Well, you’re going to have to wait, because next week, I will be posting up the reason for this short story. For now why don’t you come up with your own ending? Does the candle come back to life? Does the little girl get to show others her pretty candle? Or does the flame go out? Will the girl be plunged back into the darkness and misery?

Well, as always, do with this post what you will, and God Bless! ^^

The Music Corner Episode 2 - Shine, Jesus, Shine

Hello everyone,

Well, if you've been keeping up with my WordPress blog, I've made a Music Corner where I will be showcasing all these new arrangements. It's been a wild ride over the last week, what with my university assignments, making a social media page for these blogs, etc...so many things!  

So this week's music arrangement is Shine, Jesus, Shine, as requested by none other than...my mom! And no I don't mean that sarcastically. Actually my own faith was inspired by her. Yes she may be a hard woman, but regardless of all that, she does love me and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be as happy as I am today. That's why I'm dedicating it to her. This one's for you mom!

So without further ado, I give you Shine, Jesus, Shine.

Shine, Jesus, Shine - Soundcloud

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll speak to you soon. As always, do with this post what you will, and God Bless. ^^

Habits of a Music Geek

Hello everyone,

So as you all know, I’m Catholic and I regularly go to mass. Sometimes, I go to the Saturday vigil mass, because something is going on, on the Sunday. This Saturday vigil mass has a choir, something the Sunday evening mass doesn’t, and…well…I’m not too fond of the singers in our church choir. I won’t say any more, but as someone who is an avid music player, I really, really…REALLY want to work on the choir…although I rarely have to sing in mass.

Now, a new feature has been added to our church; that is a new mezzanine has been placed at the back, where the choir loft is. In today’s (Saturday 18^th April) mass I was struck by inspiration. Although I can’t do much about the choir, I could do a few things about the music I listen to. I thought, why not create my own arrangements of the hymns!

So now, I’m undertaking a project, which hopefully gets recognised by my church. It’s not anything special or big, but it’s something. I will try to make these arrangements as simple as possible, but at the same time beautiful. Of course, I’m not going to keep it on my laptop with nowhere to go. Like my story, I’m going to upload them here, on my blog! That way you can listen to it, and give me feedback on what needs improvement…although I highly doubt I will get any.

Nevertheless, at least it’s something, and I will start by uploading the hymn Christ Be Our Light. So the reason for this is because it is the season of Easter, in the Catholic Church, and as such, our main representation of Christ is the Paschal Candle. It portrays Christ’s resurrection as the light of the world. Thus Christ is our light.

So without further ado, I give you Christ Be Our Light.

Christ Be Our Light - Soundcloud

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll speak to you soon. As always, do with this post what you will, and God Bless. ^^

Quaint Streets, Holy Week and Many, Many Sweets

Hello Everyone,

First off…

Happy Easter

Yes I know I’m past Easter Sunday, but for us Catholics/Christians, Easter ends at Pentecost…so the celebration doesn’t end yet! Of course, when I say “celebration” I don’t mean party until you can’t move; what I mean is I constantly remind myself that my life, my soul and my spirit were saved by God. Without his precious gift of sacrifice, we wouldn’t even have something to celebrate about.

Now as some of you already know, I went to Belgium over Easter Weekend, which I was quite devastated about, but also quite excited for. You see, for me Holy Week and the Easter Weekend should have been devoted to the church. It is only recently that I’ve decided to take up the tradition of going to the Pascal Triduum (that is, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday). However, because of my parents’ spontaneous decision to return to Belgium (which was spurred on by my sister’s constant pleas), we couldn’t go. Of course I was sad and rather at war with myself to not want to go, but because it was Belgium, and because I really enjoyed it the last time, I decided to why not!

That is why, I’m writing a post about it now. In the past, those of you who actually know me, have had to endure the constant hopping off to places, and calling them my favourite. In all honesty, my favourite place is Bruges. Yes Bruges. It’s quaint, mostly safe, and the chocolate stores there are endless (although some are quite expensive). At its heart are a hospital and a Catholic church. The cobblestone streets are sometimes filled with endless tourists, but regardless of the crowd, it is still somewhat cosy.

Now I may sound like an advocate for Bruges, even a travelogue but I assure you I’m not. I’ve been to many places around the world, and I’ve tried to recount all my experiences there, but none of that matters anymore, because I’ve found my heart in Bruges, the supposed “Venice of the North”. Something about those streets, lined with souvenir shops, chocolate shops, bakeries, cafes and knick-knacks, all seem to call me home. The houses with the stepped gables look like something out of a Christmas village, and the countless bridges that cross the winding river are all something that makes me feel warm inside.

Yes it’s cold there (well it was when I went), and yes the language is difficult to understand (they speak both French and Flemish), but nevertheless, it is home.

Believe me, if you decide to go to Belgium, I recommend Bruges. If you’re religious, like me, you’ll love the churches there. There are three main ones you’ll have to look out for, and they’re very easy to spot (although it’s quite hard to remember the names that belong to them).

The first church you should go to is the Basilica of the Holy Blood. It’s out of the way, but easily found. It doesn’t quite look like a church, but I assure you it does. If you look at the image below…you see the dark grey building, embellished with decorated columns, and gold? That’s the church. She doesn’t look like much, not even on the inside, but if you sit there in silence, for at least 5 minutes, you’ll definitely feel the peace and serenity the House of God offers.

Oh I forgot to mention, the Basilica holds a relic claiming to be the blood of Jesus, hence the name The Basilica of the Holy Blood. I don’t quite believe it, but regardless, the idea that something of the Christ is near to me (not just in the Eucharist but – excuse the pun – “in the flesh”) is one that fills my heart with joy.

The next church you should go to is the Church of Our Lady. This one is probably going to be the noisiest one, and I highly doubt you’ll get to enjoy the peace and quiet as the Basilica of the Holy Blood offers. You see there is a statue there, created by Michelangelo, yes the same Michelangelo that painted the Sistine Chapel, called the Madonna. It features Mary sitting as she contemplates, with the child Christ between her knees. The reason why it’s so famous in Bruges is because it is one of the very few pieces of art, created by Michelangelo that is not in Italy. Not to mention there are various other pieces featured in their museum (which also happens to be inside the church).

Now I know what you’re going to say, “That’s a lot of religion in one post!” but that’s the thing! I don’t care. As long as there are those out there who actually understand that my religion is not just a belief, it’s a way of life, a lifestyle. It’s a habit I can’t get rid of, and don’t want to get rid of, because it fills my heart with joy every time I remember why I love being Catholic.

Sometimes the traditions may be boring and simple, repetitive even, but if I relinquish society’s dogma of hedonism, minimalism and individualism (which tend to be negative) then the repetitiveness, the simplicity of these traditions are a blessing. In fact, I find them refreshing. Everything in this world has become complicated, the media, technology, medicine, and yes even law. It is because of this complicatedness that I retreat to the church every now and then, they don’t ask much of me. What they do ask (and they do ask this all the time, although no one seems to hear) is that I simply sit down for a few minutes, in silence. Rid myself of the distractions all around me, and in my own way, talk to God. Sometimes it’s not direct. Sometimes I talk to Mary or Jesus. Sometimes I repeat the basic prayers and let my mind go blank because I know he’s listening to the deepest needs of my heart. Sometimes I simply sit there and look at the altar, my mind blank and devoid of any thought, because it is in this quiet that God can enter my soul and heal me, and I promise you, if you let him, he will heal you too.

So that marks the end of this post (I know it’s long, but hey what can you do?). As always, do with this post what you will, and I’ll see you next time. God Bless. ^^