“Finding God Again: A Spiritual Journey Back to the Faith““Every journey back to God begins with a single step of the heart.”
Sometimes it may be understood in that fascinating phrase—often repeated and frequently misunderstood—appearing everywhere today: “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual.”
At first glance it sounds thoughtful, even sincere. Many who say it are not trying to reject God. Often, they are trying to express a longing for meaning, peace and truth. Yet the phrase sometimes creates a false barrier between those who attend church and those who do not.
Why does this divide exist? Why do so many people feel that spirituality and the Church stand on opposite sides of the same door?
Perhaps the answer lies in a misunderstanding about what the Church actually is.
Some imagine the Church primarily as a place of rules, expectations and judgment. From that perspective it is easy to conclude that spirituality must exist somewhere else—outside the walls of organized religion.
But the Gospel presents a very different picture.
In the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells one of the most powerful stories ever spoken, the parable of the prodigal son. A young man leaves his father’s house, spends everything he has and eventually finds himself alone, hungry and ashamed. Only then does he begin to remember the goodness of the home he left behind.
What happens next is the surprising part.
Before the son even reaches the house, the father sees him in the distance. He runs to him. He embraces him. He restores him.
The father in the story does not stand with crossed arms demanding explanations. He does not ask for repayment or proof. Instead, he celebrates the return of the son who was lost.
Jesus tells this parable to reveal something essential about God: The Father is not waiting for perfection. He is waiting for return.
This message echoes a much older promise in the Scriptures. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God speaks to a people who had wandered far from Him: “I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out… I will bring them back from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land” (Ezekiel 34:11–13).
In the Book of Ezekiel, we discover that God is not a distant observer of our lives. He is a shepherd actively searching for His people. He does not abandon the wounded or the scattered. He seeks them, gathers them and brings them home.
When we place these two passages side by side—the parable of the prodigal son and the promise of the Good Shepherd—we begin to see a consistent pattern in the heart of God.
God does not wait for us to become worthy before welcoming us back. He seeks us while we are still wandering.
The Church exists precisely for this reason.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that the Gospel is fundamentally a proclamation of mercy: “The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners” (CCC 1846).
For that reason, Christ entrusted to the Church a special sacrament—the Sacrament of Reconciliation—through which we experience that mercy personally. The Catechism explains that through this sacrament “the faithful who confess their sins…obtain pardon from God’s mercy and are at the same time reconciled with the Church” (CCC 1422).
Notice the two movements happening at once: reconciliation with God and reconciliation with the community.
The Church is not meant to be a barrier between us and God. It is meant to be the place where God meets us most deeply.
For many people, however, returning to church can feel intimidating. Perhaps years have passed since the last visit. Perhaps there are questions, doubts or painful experiences that still linger. Perhaps life simply became busy, and faith slowly drifted to the margins.
Yet the Gospel reminds us that God is not standing far away with disappointment. Like the father in Jesus’ parable, he is watching the road with hope.
Every Sunday, something quietly beautiful happens in parishes all around the world and the diocese. Doors open. Lights come on. Scripture is proclaimed. Bread and wine are placed on the altar. And the community gathers once again to remember the love of Christ.
In a sense, every Mass echoes the same invitation: Come home.
Not because we have solved everything.
Not because we are perfect.
But because God is still searching for His people.
Perhaps the phrase “I’m spiritual but not religious” expresses a real hunger for God. If so, that hunger should not be dismissed or ridiculed. It may be the beginning of something deeper.
But the Christian faith suggests that spirituality does not grow best in isolation. It grows in relationship—with God and with others. It grows through prayer, through the sacraments, through the shared journey of faith.
In other words, spirituality finds its home within the life of the Church.
The door of the Church is not guarded by suspicion. It is opened by mercy.
And behind that door stands not only the priest who welcomes the faithful, but the Heavenly Father himself—still watching the road, still searching for his children, still ready to embrace anyone who returns.
Questions for Reflection
- What keeps me from returning fully to God?
- Do I believe God truly desires my return?
- What would it mean for me to take one step back toward the Father this week?
(Father Rodriguez is the pastor of San Juan Bautista Parish in Lancaster.)
By Father Luis Rodriguez, Special to The Witness
