"And so it came to pass..."
Growing up in the Catholic Church, I heard those words often as the opening lines of the "gospel according to whomever": Paul, Luke, Mark, or one of the other Apostles.
Called a parable, there was always a lesson to be learned or a moral to the story.
But as a fidgety child forced to sit through hours of sermons, I could only wonder how any of it would tie into my adult life. I was just too young to understand.
So, once grown, I did as many others: left organized religion and never looked back.
It strikes me as no coincidence that I came to live in Oregon, a place known as one of the most "unchurched". An interesting dichotomy is that, back east, Oregon is called "God's Country."
Why?
Because it is so damn beautiful where ever you look, only a Supreme Being could have created such a Paradise. And we, its "parishioners" know, His/Her presence and handiwork are everywhere here.
So, it seems redundant to go within four walls to seek peace and meditation when it can be found in so many places out-of-doors. But I understand many people join churches to be part of a flock or a community; to hear a message that may resonate throughout their week ahead.
Fine for them.
As for me, I'll take a walk through a quiet garden or The Grotto, where I feel the hand of the Great Creator just as surely as I would if I were sitting in a church pew.
Amen!
