In their own words: Catholic young adult convert, Justin Mambaje, conclusion

The statue of the Blessed Virgin Mother Mary 'welcomes' Justin.

I have finally learned the true meaning of love. ~Justin Mambaje

Part III. Living the Catholic life

First and foremost, Jesus draws me into the Catholic Faith; all other things come second.  Other than Almighty God, the things that draw me into the Faith are just too numerous to count.  There are the Sacraments, the Bible, the liturgy, the Blessed Mother, the saints, church history, the Magisterium--the list goes on and on.  I found all things in the Catholic Faith to be magnificent so it’s quite difficult to make a concise list.

However, I feel the greatest of all is the Eucharist – our Lord in the form of bread of wine.  Knowing that Jesus gave us His body, blood, soul and divinity to consume in order that He may always dwell in us is an insurmountable mystery.  It is through this Sacrament that I am truly made whole.  For 25 years, I suffered from a spiritual anorexia, denying the idea of spiritual nourishment.  When I did see the need to be spiritually fed, I became a starving wreck.  Only this most Blessed Sacrament of the altar satisfies that spiritual hunger. The Eucharist replenishes me, sustains me, keeps me from falling into old habits. It is through the graces received in Communion that I am able to live closer to how I would like. I have the divine assistance of Jesus living in me and operating through me. 
 
I live out my Catholic Faith by loving God and loving others through Him.  I know I am not perfect by any means and I stumble along the way, but in loving Him and my neighbors, I hope to lead people to Him so they may also experience the joy and peace He has so graciously given me.  If the situation calls for it, then I’ll verbally express my happiness and what He has done for me.  I also gladly live and follow all teachings of the Church, for when the Church teaches, she teaches with the authority that our Lord himself gave her.

I have a couple of important devotions.  One is attending daily Mass and reading of the Bible.  Another is praying the Liturgy of the Hours and attending Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  I also have consecrated myself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and wear Our Lady’s Brown Scapular.  I have also chosen St. Joseph to be my patron saint and to follow his example of being a leader, provider, and protector of Jesus, Mary, and Holy Mother Church.  It may seem like a lot to some, but I still have plenty of time to visit my girlfriend, spend time with family and friends, run a dance company, and exercise.

Being Catholic has given me freedom.  With the graces received from Jesus through His Church, I can finally have the freedom to say no to the sinfulness of my past life and yes to God.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  By knowing Him, I know Truth; and the Truth has set me free.

I have finally learned the true meaning of love.  With God’s grace, I have the ability to love all people – the unborn, the elderly, the poor, the rich, the homeless, and the foreigner.  I see all people as children of God, made in His image and likeness, and now understand that all people are created equal.  I would like to mention that loving someone doesn’t mean we love their sinful behavior.  We love the sinner, not the sin; we love the heretic and not the heresy.

Lastly, I have the joy, happiness, and salvation that can only be found through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

-The End-

Missed parts I and II? Simply click on 'Previous' in the top right corner of this article to go back. 

 Moved by Justin's conversion story? Feel free to express yourself in the comments section.

Find out more about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). If you live in the Santa Clara County and would like to have more information on becoming Catholic, visit the Diocese of San Jose webpage on Becoming Catholic.