I spent the day today visiting the Aurieesville Shrine of Martyrs with my mom & brother for Mother's Day. We used to spend Sundays there as a kid with my family going to church & then picnic. It holds many fond memories. It is also a historical site. In walking the grounds, museum, gift shop, & Collesium, I got to wondering " What is it to be a good Christian?" Is it going to mass every weekend? Is it believing in ALL the policies of the church? Our new pastor has made the weekly mass a bit unbearable. Mass has gone from about an hour to anywhere from 75 to 90 minutes. Do the extra minutes make me more holy...more Christian? He loves to PUSH the church's policies. Did you know that my church is against: Gays; Birth Control, Priest's Marrying, & Nuns thinking too much? How Christian is that? I thought God Loved Everyone. That being a Good Christian meant just that. I thought to live a Good Christian Life was what God wanted out of all his flock...his people. My father-in-law was one of the most Christian Like people I ever have known & yet he never stepped foot in a church. Our new pastor is discouraging non regular church goers from taking part on our annual Festa Committee. Does going to church regularly make you a better Christian & therefore a better committee person?
In a time when the church is losing members hands over fists and the sight of anyone under 50 in church, a minor miricle, it's a wonder the church doesn't recognize their need to "Change" some of their ways of thinkiing & embrace ALL Good Christians & maybe even change the way they look at what a Good Christian looks like.
I'm thinking the martyrs at Aureesville would love to see the church open up their eyes & hearts to all people. They died trying to convert the native Americans without reservations. Christianity & the Church need to look more alike.
What do you think?
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