My cousins went to Catholic school. They all had made their first communion. I hadn't. At Easter we went to the chapel with my cousins.
I was on the outside looking in. I wanted in.
During:
I made my first communion and confirmation. I had something the same, every time I went. I could go anywhere in the world. It was nice to know I had a safe place to go where I could pray.
I went through University, Medical School, two marriages, and also being a single mom. It meant so much to me to baptise our son, although I was single. I tried to raise him in the Church, so he would have a place to go.
I had no problem praying through the priest. I prayed on my own, too. I saw angels, Jesus, and others. I was friends with a Visionary, who was famous in the world.
Priests asked me to pray for them in Confession.
I gave a lot of money to the Church. I liked helping.
I knew spirituality was a whole lot more. But I looked to the Church as a gym, for my spiritual workouts. A home base of sorts.
After:
I see the Church as a stopping point for many. Through telepathy, I felt the priest today, the head pastor, wondering 'how am I going to keep this thing afloat financially?'. He asked not just for money, but for time. The parishioners thought that by going to church they had fulfilled their obligations to their spiritual development.
By intellectualizing the ephemeral, people have been lulled into a sense of security that is formulaic. If I go to church and pray, if I do X and Y, I will go to Heaven.
There is so much more to the Spiritual Life. Yes, it is organized, and effective to help the poor and unwanted, the Catholic Church. Look at Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity.
But there is freedom, too. I have not gone to church in months. Enjoyed myself. My free time. Today I went with new eyes. And I prayed. I prayed for all the other people at the mass to WAKE UP! To be alive in Spirit. Not to sacrifice so much time and finances. To work out, like at the gym, in prayer. Yes! To see who they really are in spirit. Co Creators. By the way, I got a 'where are you letter' from the Pastor, who had wondered where his steady gift-giver had gone. ; ) On holiday! From Mass.
It is nice to sing. It is nice to smile. And to bring a continuous source of Reiki to those who need it most.
Namaste.
