My Mother is a 7th level Atheist ( I have no idea what that means exactly I just need to emphasize how atheist she is) so I never got to Sunday school and all that. However she believed in Socialism and Trade Unionism so I did get to spend lots of time on picket lines, at demonstrations, going to regularly scheduled meetings and generally learning how to be nice to other people, to share and be kind to the less fortunate and if your in power not steal and kill.
Being raised around non believers I did a few things, believed even harder out of spite and youthful rebellion, read about other belief systems, observed the world around me, and drew my own conclusions. Attending Mass I observed that church is prettier, more comfortable, smells nicer, you still pay dues and its equally as boring as a Union hall, I preferred church.
To be honest I think I enjoyed shutting up and listening and not having to argue so much. The overall lessons appeared the same.
I concluded that people will believe in something and subscribe to that system of morals and behaviour, will turn to the company of like minded people for a feeling of community and to further the goals of the something they believe in. God and religion gets substituted with something else off the menu of human beliefs.
One of things I like and choose to believe in and follow is giving up something for Lent. A period of fasting or what have you is pretty common across the board. I have decided it must be good for you. (Yes yes I see the obvious flaw in that thinking and not being a moron I would not apply to everything they have in common.)
I am giving up chocolate and soda. I would say sex but that is given these days and I shan't discuss it. I really really really really
So you see for me Lent is the yearly intervention and cleansing my body needs. I also find that at the end of it I'm less prone to over indulge in what I gave up. It does kind of suck while its happening but I still would prefer the 40 days of lent to say colonic hydrotherapy with the results being about the same depending on what you give up.
I like the timing of Lent and that it ends with Easter. I enjoy Spring and all the ancient celebrations that go along with it. I like the fairytaleyness and the pink and yellow chocolate bunny & eggy weirdness. I like the sexiness and earthiness of the rebirth of the world. I like that we try to suffer just a little bit in the dead of winter before we indulge in Spring. I like trying to keep my body in tune with the rhythm of the seasons and the planet.
And God knows I love any excuse to bake a ham.
mmmmm.....ham......
ReplyDeleteYeah, thats what I got out of that in my state.
Brilliant, yet again.
Great read, as usual. Sure gives this cradle Catholic some good food for thought.You and I , and I guess most hearty thinkers and feelers, go through this same process. Never really thought about it before - we all gather pieces of beliefs, that sit comfotably within us, from life around us.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog - I'm getting mentally chubby from all the food for thought. Thank you
Me again. Thought that I should add that I have always had an awareness of "God" and, as a result, sought lifeskills that would help deepen my relationship with the Creator. As a child I would sit very quietly (which was not an easy task) in the deep grass and listen to God as He swept over the surface in the wind.Being a Catholic kid in the 50's was quite the task but I loved it all - introduced me to Jesus, my Main Man!
ReplyDeleteIn short, some of us need to seek intimacy with "God" and we do so with what ever means we have at our disposal.If we could all get together without mixing up power and empowered..... a girl can dream, can't she?The one thing I do know - an authentic relationship with God lets you see other peoples path with a bit more clarity, non- threatening. Peace!