We have all seen them: the faces of those Catholics who attend Mass twice a year. This trend has even led some to affectionately call them Christmas ’n’ Easter, or CNE Catholics. I always have many questions whenever the topic arises: “Where are they all hiding?” and “Why do they care enough about their faith to keep coming back?”

Only God knows the answers to these questions. Recognizing this, I decided that instead of looking outward, I should ask questions to assess my own relationship with God. For example, “How many times have I used my faith as an asset when it was most needed?” and “How many times have I denied God in situations where being a Catholic was too difficult?” Were my actions of choosing when to display my faith that different from those of CNE Catholics?

My high school chaplain once shared an interesting concept with me. Suppose being a Christian suddenly became illegal, he said. Would there be enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian? This idea made me think about how important action is in reinforcing belief.

This concept of action is clearly explained in Matthew 26: 41. After the apostles had fallen asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” In other words, we all want to do God’s work, but our tendency towards greed, sloth, pride, etc., limits us. We may have the purest intentions, but we need action.

A common failure we share as Catholics is our lack of action, whether it is failing to attend Mass or not being a living example of Jesus’ teachings. Catholicism is a gift. We are thankful to have received this gift, but then we hide it away. We bring it out only in times of crisis or in front of our closest friends or family. The truth is that until we tear open the wrapping paper and share what is inside, we are not fulfilling our role as Catholics, which Christ intended for us.

We all need help in different areas of our faith life. This is why community is so important; we are able to discuss our frailties and learn from each other. Perhaps your attendance record at Mass is pristine, but you are lacking in awareness of social justice. There may be a CNE Catholic in your parish who is a pro-life advocate. Therefore, you both have morals and lessons to share.

Although Easter Sunday is behind us, we should not forget its message that it is never too late to start over. If we strive to bring our faith full circle, which means attending Mass, being charitable, practising social justice and supporting the Church, we will not only learn more about ourselves and others, but we will also find greater meaning in calling ourselves Catholic.

(Milavec, 16, is a Grade 11 student at Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School in Toronto.)