Welcome to this week’s “Five Minute Friday.” Our instructions, via creator Kate Motaung: “Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.” Today’s prompt: COMFORT.
It has been a bit of my pattern over my life that I found comfort (or maybe excitement? satisfaction?) from being “the new” whatever. The new student. The new parishioner. The new employee, not afraid to figure things out.
Today, at Wayne’s dad’s funeral service, something happened at Blessed Sacrament, his church, that brought me comfort. I am not Catholic, but I have participated in many services and events there since Wayne’s parents were (his mom was what I call an uber-Catholic — VERY involved). I took them to mass after Dad stopped being able to drive, so I was there weekly for almost two years.
But I (of course) never took communion. And it was not the kind of Catholic church that said “you can still come up during Communion, with your arms crossed, and get a blessing.”
TODAY THEY DID! After so many years of being walked past by people leaving my pew to go to Communion, I got to join them.
I will never “fit in” in that church unless I convert, which is very unlikely. But that one change on the part of this parish brought my comfort today.
It reminded me, for some reason, of the founder of Unbound, Bob, who had a very earthy, comfortable way of conducting mass. I can picture him now with his guitar and his songs, which at first I found sort of simple but over time developed a deep complexity for me.
This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday linkup.
Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Love this, Paula. I spent the vast majority of my life in places that were very Catholic (and also in places that were Muslim and Buddhist).
No matter where you are, and what people believe…if you are lonely and just show up, they will almost always extend a hand of comfort.
God bless!
Thanks, Andrew.
You and I are opposites! I find no comfort at all in being new or standing out. 🙂
I attended Mass a handful of times and always shook my head at the idea of closed Communion. Have been in other churches that hold to the same practice. It just doesn’t make sense. All how confess Jesus as Lord and Savior should be welcome at the table.
Hi Marie. I guess opposite preferences are what make the world go ’round, right? I can’t speak for Catholics, of course, but I know their beliefs about the communion process are VERY specific. My wonderful mother-in-law came to my children’s baptisms (Episcopal) then went to her own Catholic church the same day for “real” Communion. I love the option of receiving a blessing — it makes a difference as a non-Catholic participant in a mass.