During the homily, the priest discussed how Jesus teaches by
way of parables in order to spark our imaginations and help us better reflect
on our own lives and reach our own conclusions particular to our personal
circumstances. He mentioned that Jesus
was never apt to wag his finger at people while reciting a list of rules and
regulations, but rather used parables to make people think for themselves. He
never imposed on them what their beliefs and lifestyle should be. Listening to
the sermon I started thinking about how fortunate I was to be brought up around
people who likewise encouraged me to think for myself.
I was raised with the bare minimum of religious principles.
I rarely attended church and religion was not exactly a regular topic of discussion
around the dinner table. As I became older, my lack of religious upbringing started
to bother me. I felt like I was missing this really crucial piece of life that
everyone else around me seemed to have. But as life progressed, I came to appreciate
that fact rather than loathe it.
It seems like when you are raised in a particular religion
from birth, you have so many opinions determined for you right out of the gate.
You are told what to believe, how/when to pray, who is allowed to marry, when
you have to attend church, what actions guarantee you a spot in hell, and which
religion is the “right” one. And
regardless of Jesus’ parable teachings, some things in religion still seem to
be very black and white and not open for discussion.
My appreciation for not growing up in a religious family is rooted
in the fact that I was allowed to develop my own beliefs….they were not imposed
on me. Although I still have most of the same beliefs of my religious-based
friends, the difference is that I made the decision to come to those beliefs on
my own. Naturally when you have children you raise them with your same beliefs
because that’s what you know, but I think sometimes giving kids a little bit
more space to observe the options and choose what suits them best on their own
may be a better route. And for me personally, coming to my beliefs in my own
time and in my own way has resulted in incredibly strong convictions that perhaps
rival even some of my most religious friends’ convictions.
Being allowed to think for yourself and draw your own
conclusions on what to believe also promotes greater open-mindedness in my
opinion. A lot of the people I’ve met with strong religious backgrounds are unfortunately
not always the most willing to consider other beliefs and lifestyles. They
believe what they believe and anything outside of that is obviously wrong. This
results in being more judgmental than necessary. Like everyone, I have my
judgmental moments, but I do try to be more considerate of other possibilities
out there even if I don’t agree with them.
Religion, of any kind, is a beautiful and blessed thing, but
sometimes I think it has the potential to compromise our own imagination. The Parable of the Rich Fool reminded me how
Jesus himself encouraged people to think for themselves. He may have supplied
the stories, but he wanted his listeners to invest the time and energy to
figure out what they meant and how they could best be applied in their own
lives. I think biblical passages like
this encourage everyone to think for themselves and not be so sure of
everything that is told to them…even by the religious figures they hold in high
regard. Even Pope Francis recently made the defining comment of “Who am I to
judge?” in regards to homosexuals. I, for one, was incredibly inspired to hear
the leader of the Catholic Church, which has long held a staunch stance on homosexuality,
concede the fact that it is not his place to judge such matters, but rather God’s.
That was a true moment of reflection and consideration of an alternative idea. This
sort of reflection and growth is what is often discussed in church but not
always carried out. But it is at the heart of all spiritual and faith journeys.
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