Recently, a Catholic priest took to the popular social media app TikTok to share his story of turning away from a life filled with sin to pursuing salvation through Jesus Christ. Father Frankie Cicero has shared an inspiring message of turning away from drugs to embrace the Holy Spirit, which has garnered millions of likes.
Fr. Cicero illustrated the struggles he endured earlier in his life, where he abandoned his Catholic upbringing to chase his hedonistic desires. He explained that he was driven by his experiences with his father, who abandoned his family.“I was really angry, ultimately, at the Lord, and my anger was misplaced,” he said, when speaking to Fox News Digital. “I never should have been angry at the Lord. I should have been more angry at my father, but I was angry at the Lord because I was like, ‘I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me … no drugs, no alcohol. I want to save myself for marriage, and this is what you offer me.’ I was angry and I left.”However, Fr. Cicero noted that amid the despair caused by his lifestyle, he was ultimately driven to God. “I remember, in this moment, recognizing that I have everything the world says brings happiness,” he recounted. “I said to myself, ‘I am more broken. I’m more lonely, and I flat-out hate who I am.’ It was the first time in six years that I prayed to God. I reached out in the bar at 1 a.m., and I cried out to the Lord.” He continued, “I just felt this immediate rush of his love, of his presence and his acceptance. That love flooded my heart and really gave me the courage to leave.” “I looked just right at the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and I’m like, ‘Jesus, I know you’ve called me to be your priest, but you are such a loving and merciful God. Is there any way you can give me a physical sign? I close my eyes and I open up my Bible and I look down, and the first words I saw were, “Follow me.” Matthew: 9:9, the call of Saint Matthew from the tax collector’s booth… and I wrote in my Bible August 8, 2009, ‘confirmation to the priesthood’,” he continued.
The now-Catholic priest further discussed how many mischaracterize a life centered around Christ as being “boring.” However, he dispelled this notion, emphasizing how aligning your life to Christianity is one of the most important things a person can do with their life. “People just think that living your life for Jesus is something that is just completely boring, but if you allow Jesus to be the center of your life, it is one of the greatest, the most beautiful adventures that you will ever experience,” Fr. Frankie said.
Fr. Cicero ultimately stated that experiencing the beauty of Christ has the power to completely change someone’s life for the better. “When you get touched by the Lord Jesus, when you experience being saved in his mercy and his love, you’re like, ‘I just want everyone to know about this’…. He broke my shame. He broke addictions that I was having. … When I just went before him, it was just like, ‘Lord, I just want to live for you and whatever you want. It doesn’t matter. I just don’t want to ever live without you again,’” Fr. Cicero said.
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