Today, as I see the Form One boys and girls in my class, I feel so blessed. They have grown up so much in the last 10 months. They were much younger when they join the catechism class. Now, they are not only smart, knowledgeable but so happy and also so boisterous. The thing is the most boisterous ones are the ones who are more outspoken and they do know a lot about our faith.
I suppose many of them have parents who talk about Jesus with them. It is so important for us parents, and in my case, poor me alone, to talk to them about Jesus.
It doesn’t have to be lofty and stuffy things. I tried to incorporate as much Jesus as possible in my conversations with my children. But sometimes, we can get too chummy with the Jesus in our conversation, the kids ended up making fun and having a good laugh over it until I warned them to stop.
The thing about being Christian is the community we belong to. You know you have someone there to be with you at death, which actually is the most comforting thing of all. And you can see the children growing up, and getting old.
But lately, I have not been to church that much. Which is why makes me wonder…Am I doing the right thing? Once upon a time, I have 24 hours to spend and I did devote a bit of time for church. I maintained the church website, I took care of duty rosters and always there to provide foods if there are youth camps. But now….well, I had to skip things, I cannot plan ahead and it is no fun when you can’t make promises to your church friends to do potluck or anything like that.
Maybe people will say, “You sendiri cari sakit”. But I know, when I reflect deep enough, I will know what is more important. Is it to be part of the community in a cosy church or to be part of the pack trying to do our bit to change the situation surrounding our state or even country?
I know I can find my answers somewhere. Anyway, I have been siphoned into the working world for five months, where weekends are usually taken up with work. I am lucky in a sense that I am not given specific tasks that I must do. Instead, I have the independence to pick what I need to do.
So, it is skipping church or working, up to me. I wanted to go over to the mainland and cover some event but after a while, decided to forget it because I cannot find the place in my Google map or GPS. Whatever is given to me is confusing. Instead, I will be the obedient Christian, claim my Sunday and celebrate mass with our new priest. I haven’t meet him yet. It is also choir practice so I won’t get nagged by our choir leader too.
Again, as a Christian, I am so blessed!
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:5-6
i think god would not mind terribly if you skip church and just worship and pray on your lonesome. he might hear you better, even.