#24 Be a Catholic for Holy Week

This task, choose 4 religions and practice them each for a week, is an effort to learn more about religions, and see how or if they match up with my hypothesis that there is an underlying similarity between each – be nice to each other, be nice to ourselves, be nice to the planet, and help out when you can.  So far, Buddhism and Catholicism seem to match up.

It turns out that I’m a better Catholic than a Buddhist, however I’m not sure I’m cut out for being a Catholic either. Some might say that this one wasn't a stretch in that much of our cultural heritage is based on Christianity. It’s a fair observation, yet I still wanted to learn more.  My guides for this one were a couple of friends who are well-behaved Catholics.  One of them is Filipino and suggested I go hard core and pop over to the Philippines and haul a cross around for the day.  I declined.  But I did obey her other suggestions:

Study and obey the 10 commandments – I spent an entire day with my family and didn't murder anyone.  I had the perfect opportunity to steal a garden gnome (#28) and I refrained. American Idol was on TV and I didn't watch it. (I never do, but I think it still counts) I watched my language, played nice with my mom, didn't tell any lies or sleep with married men, nor covet any of my neighbour's stuff, even if their new puppy is super cute.

For Maundy Thursday I was supposed to wash someone’s feet. I tried. Apparently people aren't keen to let me wash their feet. So I opted for part two of the tradition meant to humble you – there’s a place in my heart that I found incredibly humbling, a wee orphanage in Zambia, received a generous donation.

Friday I was to watch The Passion of the Christ. I had to stop the movie several times to google the characters and get the back story.  While I had the basic story down, there were some gaps I needed to fill in. Overall... very graphic, I had to watch many parts through my fingers. I don’t suppose it was meant to be all warm and fuzzy though.  

Friday also meant eating fish – though I have since learned that it was initially meant that Catholics aren't to eat meat on Friday… I still struggle with the “fish isn't meat” argument. Over an hour in a giant line up at my favourite fish shop was worth it. So tasty, oh so greasy.

I was also directed to not do anything enjoyable on Friday, a very solemn day. There was an Indiana Jones marathon on TV and I avoided it. A giant feat of self control on my part.   

The weekend is also a time of cleansing, doing things  you've been avoiding, and hard work. My kitchen got completely scrubbed down. My cat now wanders around in there looking completely lost.

I even went to church on Sunday.  And this is where I become the bad Catholic. I just didn't find it relevant. I suppose there was a theme to the service, the whole ‘he has risen’ thing, but I just didn't find a connection between what apparently happened a couple thousand years ago, and how I can apply it to my every day life.  For example, there was a tragic fire over the weekend in the town just north of me, claiming four members of a family. The priest was talking about the light and good of Christ, and mentioned this terrible fire.  He said the good part of the fire was that we all came to church today… So it’s a blessing that we too didn't parish in the fire? How does my attending church help that family? And the family – had they been saved it would have been a miracle from God, but as they weren't... God is no where to be found? Does he just get points for the good stuff? I think the priest missed an opportunity to direct his congregation on how exactly we can go about helping the Dunsmuir family. Clearly I have more to learn… 

What I will say about church is that I do like how it can bring people together. I sat with a very nice woman who grilled me on my marital status, where I live, and my transportation habits. But she walked me through the service – when to kneel, how to get blessed etc.  A kind act from a stranger. At one point we all shook hands and said very nice things to each other. “Peace be with you”.  I think that’s the takeaway, the thing to apply to every day – kindness, peace, and a willingness to take the hand of a stranger.

With the Catholic experiment over, I have one regret – I didn't go to confession. Just as well, I would have been there for hours.