Pose the question, “How many practice what they preach?”
Due to the relative position of a couple of planets, relative absence of paid work the last couple of days, I’ve been stopping off at a local church. It’s one of those grand cathedrals. I’m sure there is a wealth of tourist information about the building itself, but to me? It’s just a recent institution. The building it replaced? I’m sure that was cool. Not like there’s a relative lack of Catholic Cathedrals around, either, part of the landscape.
When I enter this cathedral I’ll pull out my ear buds, silence the phone, and as I pass the fountain, or basin, or whatever, I’ll make gesture as if I were dabbing holy water on myself, then I’ll cross myself.
Raised catholic? Oh hardly. I was raised (very) radical Methodist, and the most recent services I’ve been to, in honor of mothers, aunts, and extended family? Lutheran. To me, pretty indistinguishable from other Protestant services. Similar, if not identical, liturgy. Or litany. Or whatever that stuff is. They all recite the Apostle Creed that says something about the holy catholic church.
My favorite is still High Anglican, Church of England, in Westminster. Alas, that’s another story. Twenty minutes, shot of grape juice and good to go. Great service, light reading, short on content, long on forgiveness and mercy. Grace.
I like the pews in this one church, though. Quite comfortable, from kneeling, ergonomic point. I’ll slip the little knee pad down, and slide out of the pew – my knees will rest on the padding while my butt is still perched on the seat. Good fit.
I’ll close my eyes, clasp my hands, and assume the position. Been doing this for several weeks. I’ll run through a litany of prayers, a veritable liturgy of my own rendering, a blend of earth-centric, goddess-oriented stuff, with a sprinkling of Latin (Ave Maria) tossed in, as well.
I’m pretty sure I’m not praying to the Catholic God ™, but the place, for a feeling? It’s just righteous.
I left the other afternoon, stepped through the sacristy, slipped my earbuds back into place and thumbed the iPod back on.
Mike Ness (frontman for Social D.) was singing about how, “It doesn’t matter if it rains or freezes, long as I got my plastic Jesus on the dashboard of my car…”
Holy crap.
Are you asking:
When will I find someone special?
“Should I find another job?”
“Why is my life so challenging?”
“And when will these changes end?”
A personal consultation with Kramer can help, in person or on the phone.