I was raised Catholic but for a long time wasn't a practicing Catholic. When the kids came along from time to time husband & I talked about raising them in a religion but could never agree. Then two years ago, a friend of M.E.'s was going through RCIC after having been baptized in a protestant religion. We signed M.E. up. It wasn't really a whim but I looked on it as a little shove coming to push us in the right direction.*
I started going to Church again, because after all, couldn't ask M.E. to go alone. Suddenly, for the first time church was enjoyable something I looked forward to. It was a return home, to something familiar. Throughout the years I wasn't attending mass, I still felt spiritual but not necessarily religious. There are things about the Catholic hierarchy and organized religion that I don't totally believe. But, I love the comfort of the familiar ritual.
Mother-in-law's memorial service was held in the Presbyterian church she and FIL have attended for years. I was a nice service, but somewhat unfamiliar. It reminded me again of the comfort of familiar ritual in times of loss and sadness. I don't know what my children will believe but I hope at some future time they can have the same comfort in religion and ritual.
*I am reminded of the joke about the man in the flood who finally gets to heaven and asks G-d why he didn't save him. And G-d answers but I sent the neighbor in the boat, the helicopter, etc. That was one of our messages
1 comment:
I know exactly what you mean. I used to go to mass more often but since the twins I have been a bit lazy about it - still I take them for all the major feast days and one day I will take them more regularly. I still think about God and pray. I believe that it is a gift (those familiar rituals that seep into our bones), a link with generations past for us to give to the twins - to do with as they like when they are older. A precious gift none the less.
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