(Editor’s note: This reflection on religion was written as prompt for a writing class exploring your life, your history. It contains my own small thoughts. It is in not a broad statement on religion and most certainly I do not wish to offend. It is simply part of my own faith “journey.” My ruminations. Thank you!)
It was early by Saturday morning standards, about 7:30, and I had to do something I hate having to do — wake a sleeping child. Okay, in the scheme of things it’s not that awful, especially when the aforementioned child is 12-years-old.
“Rise and shine sleepy head!” I said.
“Grumble. Grumble, “ and this — even from the sweetest of children!
“Up. Up. Up!! Middle school youth group retreat at church today!”
You can imagine the response.
“I don’t want to go. It’s ALL day! What? They’re having Mass too? Boring!”
In the Catholic Church we are filled with what seems like an exhaustive list of “need-tos” and “have-tos.” No eating an hour before Mass. No meat on Fridays during lent. Missing Holy Days of Obligation is a sin. But this one, a chance to meet with other 11-13 year olds and some super-cool-high-school-kids who’ve already made that middle years treacherous trek, seemed to fit in the list of “shoulds.” You should go ‘cause it’s good for you. Especially since we haven’t been so good about the “have-tos” lately.
So I sat down on the edge of the bed, gathered my most mature mom-like thoughts and said,
“We don’t know what road we’ll have to go down in life. We have many paths to choose on that road map. It can be hard to know which way to turn, so sometimes we need direction. Think of Church, of God, as our compass.”
From under the blankets I hear, “Don’t need a compass. My life has GPS!”
Nancy Miller Barton 