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NUS Catholic Students Society
Paul Joseph
Year 3 | Engine
(third from the right)
August 16, 2018
Prior to entering university, I had no perception of who God was to me and of His love for me. My happiness was subjected to what people thought of me, what my family thought of me and what I thought about myself. These things, however, were constantly changing every single day. Basing my self-worth on what others thought about me led to a constantly shifting self-image that I could never perfect.
However, all this changed when I decided to head to the Catholic Students’ Society booth at the student life fair, in my first week of university. It was surely God’s grace that led me to the booth because I doubt I would have headed there by my own will. Being away from the Church for so long, and never having truly been a practicing Catholic for the better part of my life, I would have never pictured myself at where I am at today – being able to speak of the goodness and mercy of God that I have personally encountered every moment since saying that “Yes” to Him.
The last two years with the CSS community have been filled with nothing but joy and genuine friendships that continue to flourish as we continue our journey towards Jesus, together. The beauty of being part of a community is that while everyone is at a different spiritual stage in their journey, we make up for what the other is lacking when we come together, inspiring one another to fight the good fight for God’s kingdom here on earth. But if you’re reading this still feeling uncertain about what may lie ahead for you, I can assure you that this feeling is only temporary. For me, I learnt to trust wholeheartedly in the Lord, who never fails to surprise me with His graces. In my first year, I experienced a family on campus full of people who cared for me and for what I had to say and share. These friendships are some of the strongest I have ever had for one very simple, yet profound reason – that we are all secured in our relationship with Jesus Christ, whom in turn secures us in our love for each other. Joining our weekly cell-groups gave me the opportunity to journey with my fellow brothers and sisters as we struggled together during the semester, offering a place of refuge and comfort when I felt down and more importantly, serving as a constant reminder to relentlessly seek Jesus amidst our busy schedules.
Moreover, being present for weekly campus mass kept me grounded over the semester, while Antioch Fridays gave me the opportunity to explore new ways of worshipping God through Praise and Worship. Music is one of the biggest ways in which the Lord has showered His graces upon me over the last year, where I learnt to play in Worship to the Lord. I would have never uncovered these gifts had I decided to ignore God’s call and chose my own path during university and I am excited to see what else He has in store for me.
“The beauty of being part of a community is that while everyone is at a different spiritual stage in their journey, we make up for what the other is lacking when we come together, inspiring one another to fight the good fight for God’s kingdom here on earth.”
Sure, everyone else around you will tell you to sign up for a myriad of activities that will boost your resume, but I do not regret for one second my choice to put these voices aside and choose CSS as my main commitment. I have grown so much since joining CSS and have become a better person as a result; someone who is more self-aware but yet, less self-conscious. As I continue my journey with the CSS community, God always finds new ways to keep me on my toes, inspiring me to grow deeper in the faith and to give up all that I am in my pursuit of Him, and I continue to Praise Him for His presence in my life!
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