Faith Journey Reflective Essay

Our faith is a lifelong journey. You move from stage to stage throughout your faith journey before you actually know what your faith actually is and what you actually believe in. First is the child hood stage, where you believe in what your parents tell you and follow in their footsteps of faith. Next is the adolescent stage, where you question your faith and what you truly believe, and then is the adult stage, where you know what your faith is but you still question it. I chose the song ‘Reflection’ by Christina Aguilera to best describe the stage of faith in which I find myself currently in. I think that I am in the adolescent stage of faith, because I am still questioning my faith and what I actually believe.

I was raised a catholic by my parents, going to church every Sunday, praying before every meal and before I went to bed. When I was younger, I just went on what my parents told me to be true. I never questioned anything. Now that I am older, I am beginning to question my faith, and what I really believe in. I ask myself things like “do I really want to be a catholic?” “Is there really a God?” “What do I really believe?” It is difficult to answer some of the questions I have because faith is about believing what cannot be seen but it is necessary. Things that are unseen are truly hard to believe in but if you really want to believe you will.

I don’t know what faith I want to continue with yet. Yes, I was raised catholic by my parents but there are so many other different religions/faiths out there. As a catholic, they believe in God. I don’t know if I believe in God, if there really is a God, or if it’s just a story people tell. God could be one person that is up in heaven that rules over everyone, God can be a he or she, God can be everyone put together as one person or God could just be something else. I don’t know if there is a heaven for when you die. I have pictures and images in my mind from when I was little but now that I really think about it, it just sounds like a made up place that may or may not be true. Yes, people who are catholic believe that when you die your spirit travels up to heaven, but I may or may not believe it because it could just be a story someone told a long time ago. There are so many things that could be just stories or the real truth but you will never know because everything is unseen and you will just have to believe.

I really like this song because it relates to today and what it is like today in our society with regards to our faith. I think this song is a perfect example of someone in the adolescent stage of their faith questioning their faith and what they really believe in. In the song where it says “If I wear a mask I can fool the world but I cannot fool my heart” I think means that this person is pretending to be a catholic and follow their parents or others when they really don’t want to or they are just questioning it. I think people just follow their parents when it comes to religion and don’t look deep down and find out what they really want. They ‘wear masks’ and pretend to be a catholic instead of showing what they truly believe in their hearts. In the song when it says “That burns with a need to know the reason why” I think it means that this person is searching for their purpose or meaning for being here.

Why they are on this earth and what their meaning or purpose for living is. I think people look for their meaning or purposes through religion thinking that God will give them a sign that will show them what it is. I kind of believe that God, if there really is a God, will give us a sign of what our purpose in life is, but I still question it. In the song when it says “Why must we all conceal what we think, how we feel? Must there be a secret me I’m forced to hide? I won’t pretend that I’m someone else for all time when will my reflection show who I am inside?”

I think means that you shouldn’t have to hide what you truly believe in and pretend that you’re something your not. If you don’t believe in God and don’t want to be a catholic, you should say it instead of being something your not. You should look deep down inside of you and question yourself to find out what you truly believe in instead of following others and being something you really don’t want to be. You are special and you shouldn’t be afraid to show what you really believe in even if it’s different from others. This whole song talks about looking inside yourself and showing your true self instead of hiding and pretending.

People in my life such as my friends may have a part in what I believe in. For example I have friends who don’t believe in God, things they say may get me thinking about that too.

This song shows that I am both spiritual and religious. I am religious because even though I may or may not believe in God, doesn’t mean I can’t be religious.

I still go to church and show a concern for religion. I am spiritual because I go to church on a regular basis and belong to a church. Just because I am not sure on a certain faith doesn’t mean I can’t be religious and spiritual. I am still on my faith journey and on the adolescent stage. I am still questioning my faith and what I actually believe in. This song has shown me that I should not be afraid to show what I really feel. I will not ‘wear a mask’ when it comes to my faith. I will not pretend to be someone I am not, and my reflection will be actually me.