The Golden Rule

I am sitting here listening to Paige tell her friend May that she will make her First Communion next year.

"What's that?"

"Well, I get to eat the bread in church and drink the wine. And we're going to have a party afterward."

It is peculiar to me that many of my friends in Maryland are unaware of what a first communion is and that bread and wine is part of the ritual in church.  I mean, Catholicism is still the most popular of all the Christian religions, isn't it?  I'm not judging anybody on their religious ritual because Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ and I can tell you that the Vacation Bible School the kids went to at the Evangelical Presbyterian church had to be the greatest show of praise that I have yet seen. 

On Friday night, I sat in the back of the church and watched my children laugh when Pastor Bob, dressed as an astronaut, explained the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of us.  Tony sat beside me in rapt attention and it was the first thing Paige mentioned when I met up with her after an hour and a half of songs and praise.  And the songs were unbelievable!  The kids were jumping up and down, "I got the joy, joy, joy, joy, joy, joy.... down in my heart...."  Unbelievable.  Both Paige and Tony sang that particular song, clapping their hands in the right places the entire walk through the parking lot and to our truck.

I find it hard to believe that my five and seven year old get the concept of Jesus dying for our sins and granting us redemption and sanctification in one fell swoop, when a significant number of adults have no idea what any of it means.  Even if you don't believe in God, isn't a social responsibility to at least be aware of who Jesus Christ is?  Which leads me to the shock that this teaching, along with any other religion that seeks kindness and consolidarity among people isn't taught in schools.  How can Buddha's teachings be bad in any way shape or form?  How can God's edict that we treat others as we would want to be treated not be a socially responsible thing to teach?

I suppose that coming off a week of my children telling me the story of Adam and Eve, and Cain and Abel, and their complete understanding of it, coupled with me, during that same week being treated like dog crap, led to this diatribe on religion.  The concept is so entirely simple - be kind, give love, be charitable/generous, be slow to anger - that my children get it, but so many adults do not.

We all have our moments of frustration and anger, that's for sure.  Yet, when I lose it, I am quick to apologize (especially if my anger/frustration caused the misunderstanding) and I suppose that is the positive aspect of the "Catholic guilt".  Why not apologize?  Is being angry really worth it?  It's tough to see when you're on the front lines with it, but hopefully, on the next go 'round, I'll be more aware.  Maybe I'll just ask for some advice from my five and seven year old.

Whatever the case, I am heading up to the shower to get ready for Mass.  I am sure that Tony will be spinning on the seat beside me, whining to go home right about the time we get to the Our Father, but we will still go.  Because life is tough.  Life is so very difficult sometimes, and I know that because I attended church every Sunday as a kid, I had something to fall back on, and that's all I want for my kids.  That when they are fed a shit sandwich, they go to church and wash it down with some bread and wine.