If anyone would've told me I‘d be confirmed in the Catholic faith as a senior in college, I’d have laughed and said “absolutely not.”—especially during a global pandemic while recovering from a hip and femur surgery! Praise God.

Our inherently broken world of suffering and loss led me away from the church altogether during my time at a Catholic high school, only for Jesus to scoop up my heart as a Yale first year. I reflect and ask myself, “How?” Today’s first reading, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31A, provides the clearest answer I can give as to how God gave me another chance at life: the body of Christ.

My brothers and sisters with Athletes and Action Yale (AIA) and the Ultimate Training Camp (UTC) graciously and patiently introduced me to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The unconditional love they've shown me in the last four years illuminate God’s love for my own life and it is a brilliant love I will spend eternity giving and receiving.

Last year, I met a special UTC friend who reintroduced me to the Catholic faith in the most beautiful, natural way. From birth, I completed all of the sacraments leading up to confirmation but intentionally chose not to be confirmed. I didn’t know the significance of any of the traditions of Mass, the Sacraments, the saints and so on. In short, I had no clue why anything I was “supposed to do” mattered. My friend lives a life in the “why” behind these Catholic traditions, while also debunking every stereotype I grew up believing.

This led me to STM. The STM community has deepened the intimacy of my relationship with our triune God to levels I did not know were possible. I have gained a new respect and love for what it means to worship, repent, admire God and learn from all parts of the Gospel, especially from our Mother Mary.

My redemption story is a constant reminder of the importance of the body of Christ: one, with many parts. When we are looking for an answer, God sends us people. He makes Himself known through His children. Children, that spend their lives loving people who don’t look like them, act like them or even have the same belief system. We are His people.

And, I look forward to a lifetime of learning and loving people the way Jesus did.

Photo of Anna's confirmation into the Catholic faith, courtesy of the author.