Inside of Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln at St. Meinard, IN
Isn’t it amazing how the above picture can be beautiful even breathtaking to some people. To others it is perceived with a sense of respect and honor. Still others look at it with intimidation and fear. But no matter the perspective the picture is still the same picture. I look at it as a beautiful church that if filled with people who believe in the loving forgiving, kind, dad like God I believe in, then it is a comforting place. I alluded to this idea in my Sunday Tidbit, Church.
After going to Holiday world last week we stopped by St. Meinrad, where our priest and thousands of others have gone to the seminary to become priests. Our priest suggested we go and take in the sites and see his picture from years ago. We found his picture and laughed at how much younger he was back then. The campus is so peaceful and we were able to explore the church and gardens. The church at the time was empty so to me it was a sacred place because it was waiting for the true Church to come through it’s doors. The true Church is made up of the believers who gather as a community within the doors. But more importantly what these believers practice and pray within these walls should be implemented on a daily basis outside these walls.
If the church building is intimidating to you for reasons from your past and you really don’t want to go back, I ask you to think about why? How long has it been? Are you ready to seek God out at this point in your life? Do you have God in your life and are you ready to explore finding a community of believers where you think God wants you to be? I do not push religion on anyone, whatever religion you choose I think is fine. My Dad raised me to believe the religion you choose is not the pinnacle point in your life, the most important part is to have faith in God. To have faith in God is to have an anchor to keep us from spinning out of control. To help us want to be better people, to know that this world is not the final stopping point, there is so much more God has to offer us. If the picture of this church really makes you uncomfortable just think it’s not about the walls of the building it is about the people who make up the Church. I encourage to think about it today if you do not have a church or a community of believers you belong to consider a place to go this Sunday, any religion. Maybe do what I did as a teenager and try out some different religions. I went to different Churches, if nothing else comes from it you may find it interesting to see how different people live. If you give it a try you will see wherever you go it’s not about the building, it’s about the people and what they teach, preach, pray and more importantly they way they treat each other.
If this picture is peaceful and comforting to you and you are settled in your faith and you already find strength within it then Thank God you are where you are! Remember that you are one of the people who make Church for those searching for faith.
Christ Has No Body
By St. Teresa of Avila
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
No hands but yours,
No feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which is to look out Christ’s compassion to the world;
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.
