… Begone acedia. Begone sullenness. Self pity. Ennui. Shoo. Away with thee!

I just remembered I am Catholic. Damn Catholic. A nun gazing, hymn loving, incense is the best smell in the world Catholic. A proud to be and grateful that She’d have me Catholic.

Why the sudden change in mood? Because I suddenly caught myself effortlessly praying in the middle of the day for no real discernible reason. Yeah, that one shocked me too. And it was with that shock that I finally woke up.

I AM CATHOLIC.

How awesome is that?! Indeed very awesome to be part of something so huge and True. And what does that look like, this inclusion into such a universally welcoming group?

Well, it looks a little something like this.

Faithful…

and devoted…

and beautiful…

and universal…

and joyful…

You know, they warned me that my convert high would eventually wear off. They just failed to mention that it does come back – and in full force. I had become so accustomed to my Catholicism that I failed to notice it became such an intrinsic part of who I am. Plainly, I took it all for granted.

Somewhere along the way I came to believe that if I wasn’t zealous, giddy, and jumping with joy than I must be one of those lukewarm, blasé Catholics. But no. It just means you’ve finally become comfortable in your Catholic skin and things are going to be a little less foreign and effortless now.

It doesn’t make you a bad Catholic, just a real one.

So welcome back. And to you newly minted Easter converts, welcome home.