Where are you going?

Often during our lives someone will ask us simple questions about our plans for life. Sometimes the questions are for our immediate plans, sometimes they are for our future plans. Often we have answers for these questions.

I decided to focus on helping out in my parish instead of focusing on the spiritual direction of my life. I wanted to see what it felt like to be an average, involved American Catholic attending Mass regularly, volunteering on a couple of committees. I wanted to see how I would feel about the various interactions, how I would perform under pressure. I was curious about whether my faith, my love for God would increase or decrease based upon my involvement.

I have enjoyed my experience. I have learned so much about how God works in the lives of many people. There is not one religious experience, one religious story. Each person I have met approaches his/her faith in an unique way. Roman Catholic spirituality is alive and well in Washington, DC. The faithful are talking salvation, moving toward salvation.

Love and forgiveness are big themes of the Church. I have seen many examples of them in various relationships I have encountered, I have observed. Unconditional love, unconditional forgiveness are themes in the Mass readings, in the homilies, but in a few relationships both remain elusive, nonexistent. This is not meant as a criticism, but as a simple observation.

Love and forgiveness are part of the mainstream society and popular culture vernacular but society often adds restrictions and conditions to each. The result is both are exalted in different degrees. Love comes out just a little bit better. Forgiveness is often quickly shoved aside for revenge or vengeance. Our society talks forgiveness but does not practice it. And some people I know talk forgiveness, extol the virtues of forgiveness, but do not practice it in all of their relationships. I am not perfect, I sometimes half heartedly forgive people but then I sometimes feel slightly guilty and try to do a little better.

Forgiveness comes easier in different situations.

Seeing love, seeing genuine friendship, seeing faith, seeing love for God these are very clear, very active. For love concrete and love abstract are both very, very beautiful to experience within a faith community. For a selfless love, a merciful love, a compassionate love provides hope and peace for all those who encounter it. There is much love, much support here. I am glad to be a part of it.

The love that I have seen, the love that I have experienced has renewed my desire to use my life for the service of God. I just have to decide what that means. I just have to decide how to begin.