Maturing Your Catholic Faith (ePub)

When we stop being children and enter adult life, we achieve achievements that fill us with satisfaction: a good job, starting a family, economic solvency, a standard of living that gives us material comfort...
But life also brings blows that we did not expect. We all have had one or more: the betrayal of a friend, an accident, a serious illness, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, financial difficulties, the breakdown of a marriage...

When these things happen to us we become vulnerable:

• Vulnerable to anxiety and anger, which leads us to attack others, verbally or physically.
• Vulnerable to depression and fear, which nullifies our ability to reason and decide.
• Vulnerable to the fear of death, which takes away our hope and joy.

But it is possible to get out of all that and find a Peace that will never abandon you. It is something that you knew but that you have forgotten: the Catholic Faith in which you were educated. Yes, I know: when you were a child, all that religion was fine. But at some point, you became an adult: there were other priorities and you moved away from the Faith that you were taught. Well, it's about time someone told you about this as an adult: the Catholic Faith is not about blindly believing what you're told. It is something else. It is trusting someone.

• Someone you will have a close friendship with.
• Someone who will continually prove to you that they are trustworthy.
• Someone who will always help you.
• Someone who will always give you much more than what you ask for.

That Someone is none other than Jesus of Nazareth. No, He is not just a historical figure. He lives and seeks your friendship.

Let me propose a way back: "Maturing Your Catholic Faith." This book is the guide you need to resume that friendship from which you walked away as an adult. The book begins by appealing to your reason and your intellect. You are already an adult, not a child. You need empirical truths and solid reasoning. Therefore, "Maturing Your Catholic Faith" empirically shows you that Jesus is God; that He was on Earth just over two thousand years ago; that He worked miracles; that He was killed; and that on the third day He rose again, showing Himself to His disciples for forty days.

"Maturing Your Catholic Faith" also shows you the necessary steps to regain your friendship with Jesus.

I'll tell you the first: stop doing things, stop receiving interruptions, turn off your cell phone... It's as simple as that: stop and observe for a few minutes.

The other steps are also simple and bearable. Jesus Christ does not put unbearable burdens on us. On the contrary, friendship with Him is liberating:

• He frees us from fear.
• He frees us from anger.
• He frees us from the frustration in which we live.
• He frees us from anxiety when faced with problems.
• He frees us from the fear of death.

You may be wondering who the author of this book is. My name is Antonio Montes Orozco. I am neither a priest nor a bishop, nor a theologian. I am a professional, someone like you. I studied Telecommunications Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. I make my living as an expert in Agile methodologies, which are used in software development. In 2016 I returned to the Catholic Faith. By writing "Maturing Your Catholic Faith" I wanted to share with other people how to make this journey back. Everything I say in the book is based on my personal experience.

On this path I have reached a conclusion that may seem radical to you, but that is born from experience: distancing yourself from Jesus destroys your life. Getting closer to Him frees you and gives you Peace. I invite you to see by yourself with "Maturing Your Catholic Faith."