My Way
I've been reflecting lately on the origin of my faith in God and it seems that unlike some, I'm unable to really pinpoint a day or time when I had that "aha" moment. All I know is that at a very young age I would listen to the voices of the meadowlark and the red-winged blackbird; curious to know what made them sing. I believe that God's voice in the wind called me away from the angry voices of people to come out and dance with the little stream on the edge of town. It was God who called me to safety then and it is He who calls me to a deeper place today. It was God and it is God.
I went away to a monastery recently to reflect on this faith and some things occurred to me. For many years I worshiped in an evangelical setting. I don't know how many times a congregation would rejoice when they learned that someone had come out of "Catholicism" to the true Christian experience. So many times I would hear pastors refer to the "other" denominations in a negative light; as if to say that "our way" was the only way. It bothered me then and it bothers me today. While I was in prayer with the nuns at the monastery I was in awe of the reverence while we were singing the Holy scriptures. It was a solemn time; a sacred time. It was a blessed form of worship. God is alive in the Catholic church just as He is in other paths of faith. I say paths because in my observation of faith settings over the years, we are really all on a significant journey to seek the ultimate experience or path to find meaning for our lives as it relates to God. Why are we here? How can my life bring meaning to another? Who is this "One" who made us all in His image and yet so very different are we from one another? We all are in pursuit of the perfect way to worship this God, yet not one of us can claim the identity of another seeker when we attempt to identify our individual relationship with God. Why? I believe it's simply not possible. Our walk with the living Christ is as unique as the finger prints on our hands and as unique as the very DNA of our souls. We are uniquely and individually designed. That is something to celebrate.
So what makes us think that there is but one approach to the blessed presence of God and the worship we bring? I hope I never know the answer to that question, because once that happens I fear I too will stop seeking the special place that I long for. A place I began seeking as a little girl; a place in my soul that makes me know the unending presence of the living Christ, Emmanuel, God with us!
Blessings to you, my unique and wonderful friends.
Amy
I went away to a monastery recently to reflect on this faith and some things occurred to me. For many years I worshiped in an evangelical setting. I don't know how many times a congregation would rejoice when they learned that someone had come out of "Catholicism" to the true Christian experience. So many times I would hear pastors refer to the "other" denominations in a negative light; as if to say that "our way" was the only way. It bothered me then and it bothers me today. While I was in prayer with the nuns at the monastery I was in awe of the reverence while we were singing the Holy scriptures. It was a solemn time; a sacred time. It was a blessed form of worship. God is alive in the Catholic church just as He is in other paths of faith. I say paths because in my observation of faith settings over the years, we are really all on a significant journey to seek the ultimate experience or path to find meaning for our lives as it relates to God. Why are we here? How can my life bring meaning to another? Who is this "One" who made us all in His image and yet so very different are we from one another? We all are in pursuit of the perfect way to worship this God, yet not one of us can claim the identity of another seeker when we attempt to identify our individual relationship with God. Why? I believe it's simply not possible. Our walk with the living Christ is as unique as the finger prints on our hands and as unique as the very DNA of our souls. We are uniquely and individually designed. That is something to celebrate.
So what makes us think that there is but one approach to the blessed presence of God and the worship we bring? I hope I never know the answer to that question, because once that happens I fear I too will stop seeking the special place that I long for. A place I began seeking as a little girl; a place in my soul that makes me know the unending presence of the living Christ, Emmanuel, God with us!
Blessings to you, my unique and wonderful friends.
Amy
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