I am the Quarterback of My Life...

The question I have been asked the most lately is this: "What made you decide to convert to Catholicism?" 

I was not prepared for such questioning.  I was not expecting people to inquire about my reasoning for this journey.  

Of course when you are put on the spot you stammer around with answers like, "well, I work for a Catholic entity, I have many Catholic friends....." and then it just trails off from there and they are left staring blankly at me probably thinking, "she works for a Catholic entity and she has Catholic friends?  So what???" 

My answer now is easy:  Faith should not be a spectator sport

Up until recently, I have always been a fair weather fan in the stands.  Warming the pew on the rare Sunday I did attend church.   I was always removed from the action.  I could see the field and the other key players, but definitely was not suited up for the Big Game. 

It was always more comfortable or easier to go through the motions of church.  I had convinced myself that merely attending was good enough to get me into heaven.  I believed if I was not committing the "Big Sins" then surely, I must be alright.

I never believed I needed to engage at a deeper core level.  It was perfectly acceptable to me to either not go to church at all or just be a second stringer for a mediocre team.

You cannot expect great results in your life without great effort and enthusiasm on your part.   Catholicism has stoked a once small almost non-existent flame into a roaring inner fire that cannot be tamed.

Catholicism is a way for me to fully engage my talents, strengths, emotions and above all love for God.  It is steeped with rich tradition and it inspires me each time I attend mass.  I love the involvement in the mass whether it's through making the sign of the cross, the genuflecting, the adoration of the tabernacle, kneeling in prayer, participating in the Eucharist or even as simple as passing the peace with a fellow parishioner. 

Hence, I am now the Quarterback of my life.  I am calling the plays, I am making the big decisions.  I am no longer a spectator but a key player in my Super Bowl of faithful journeys. 

I may not have the stats or moves of Aaron Rodgers, but I am definitely the MVP of my big game.