I can understand why some people get burned out on church. Many complain about soporific sermons, persistent pleas for money – and most serious of all, the so-called hypocrites who attend regularly but then go home and snarl at the neighbors, ignore the kids and fudge on their tax returns.
Frankly, if this were the entire picture of church, I might be reluctant to show up myself — but the truth is, church doesn’t just happen on Sundays.
If you stop in at my church’s office on the morning of a funeral, you’ll see a cluster of ladies cutting fresh fruit into bite-size pieces, piling trays high with cookies, sandwiches and deviled eggs, and covering tables with snowy cloths.
On this day, the tables laden with food and garnished with daffodils are for a reception following the funeral of a teenage girl. In the midst of unimaginable grief, at least the family may find comfort in knowing their guests will enjoy a nourishing meal.
On any weekday, follow some parishioners around and you’ll see them driving to senior residences, nursing homes and hospitals to take Holy Communion to shut-ins. These volunteers, who share a prayer and perhaps a cup of tea, are cheery reminders that the ailing and the elderly are still part of the community.
You’ll also see laypeople pitching in at Our Lady of Perpetual Help cancer home, gathering groceries for food drives and volunteering at Birthright of Atlanta to help women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Anyone who thinks the clergy work only on Sundays might want to shadow the priests at my parish when they’re rushing to the hospital at 3 a.m. to anoint a dying person with holy oils. They also might want to stick around all week and watch the priests marrying couples, giving spiritual counseling, hearing confessions and baptizing babies.
Now someone could say this is all well and good, but why show up on Sunday? Since I’m Catholic, attending Mass that day is an obligation, but one I fulfill joyfully.
For all Christians, I would say Sunday worship provides the spiritual fuel for what happens the rest of the week. You see, when people gather to petition and thank God, they receive the grace that often prompts them to help others.
True, Sunday services can be disappointing at times, and yes, it would be lovely if all the folks who fill the pews were angels who never committed any sins.
But even Jesus Christ was surrounded by a rowdy crowd of disciples who often misunderstood his message and who fled from him when he was arrested. They doubted him and denied him, and they squabbled over who would get the best spot in heaven. Still, these folks helped form the first Christian community — and you can bet it was filled with sinners, just like today.
The early Christians spent their time comforting the grieving, visiting the sick and feeding the poor. For them church wasn’t just about Sunday – it was their whole life.
