Sunday(275-204-49)

"You Catholics are so rude" That is what was said to me one day at work not too long ago. I had invited a friend of mine that was non-Catholic to come and enjoy our Easter celebration. I knew she was searching for a church to belong to and she had known I was Catholic and she had been asking some question about Catholics and the way we celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ, so I invited her to join us for Easter Sunday Mass. I had to sing in the choir so I could not sit with her but I made sure there was someone there that she knew and felt comfortable with so I asked a fellow co-worker and church member to sit with her. The co-worker and myself were the only one that seemed to welcome her. She says she got "looks" from other people when she was not kneeling when the others knelt and when it came time for the handshake of peace she said it almost felt that they were trying to advoid her..like she was a nusence becasue she was non-catholic. The icing on the cake came when she noticed that people were leaving right after communion. She said NONONE would ever DREAM of doing that in the church that she belonged to before....she said that everyone waited untill the minister sang the final note of the closing song and then they left if they wanted too but most stayed for more fellowship with others. I took what she said to heart and I started looking inward to myself and then looking out to the parish as a whole. Do I only come to church to fullfill a Sunday obligation or am I at Mass to give my all to the glory of the Lord? I noticed that more people it seems to be showing up late and leaving early....Why is that we find it so hard to commit 1 hour to the Lord each week? Jesus suffred on the cross for more that 3 hours for us. Giving up his life so that we could enjoy eternal life forever.....and still we find it too hard to commit 1 hour to the Lord.

My final thought is that I am going to try my best not to be that Rude Catholic that she saw, but try to be the hands, feet, eyes, heart, and voice of that truly living and risen Chirst to all people....Not just to some.