Final Reflection

My journey through this course has greatly influenced my perception on faith. As I mentioned in the beginning of this course, I grew up practicing the Catholic faith. I was baptized, received Communion, and was Confirmed in the Catholic Church. Growing up, I never thought my perception of faith would change. I was raised a Catholic, attended Catholic school my whole life, and attended Church every Sunday. The Catholic teachings and traditions were practiced in my family for years before I was born, but this course has opened my mind to many different ideas and beliefs. Some beliefs that have influenced my thinking are Monasticism and Inclusivism. Given that religion is a very personal aspect of my life, I decided to analyze what I’ve learned during this course in depth.

One belief that has really stuck with me is Monasticism. The correct definition of a monastic life is living in a secluded area, withdrawing from society and dedicating your life to charitable works through prayer. The idea of living a monastic life is intimidating, given that you have to dedicate your whole life to prayer and charitable works. Although, the idea of secluding yourself from the norm of society and living through charitable works can be very refreshing. In today’s day and age, many people are distracted by social media and their public image. As a result, they fail to realize the importance of other aspects of life. After writing a report on Basil of Caesarea, I became interested in this way of life. Saint Basil dedicated his life to charitable works and helped many people throughout Caesarea. Although I would not seclude myself from society completely, this belief has influenced me to dedicate more of my time to charity in the future. I have already looked into signing up for volunteer opportunities in the local community to help underprivileged children in