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Public displays of faith
We are grateful for today’s guest blog post by Kerri Leigh Power
Sister Julie’s recent post about crosses made me think of the small silver crucifix that I bought while in New Mexico last year, at one of the many roadside shrines that we visited. I love this little cross – it reminds me of our trip and the excitement and reverence that I felt visiting these sacred sites where so many had come before me to find stillness, comfort and connection to God.
Yet I rarely wear the cross in my daily life, and I wondered why. I think it has to do with a reluctance to display my faith openly. How would my cross be interpreted by others? What assumptions would they make about my ideas and beliefs? Do I want to answer questions, to invite strangers to categorize me based on their own understanding of what that tiny cross signifies?
And then I thought of another wonderful trip, our visit to Turkey last spring. Although Turkey is officially a secular country, the presence of Islam permeated our experience as Western visitors. No matter what city we were in, the Islamic call to prayer was a daily companion — waking us in the morning, accompanying us on our walks through town, and usually the last thing we heard as we drifted off to sleep. In every mosque we encountered Muslim pilgrims, men and woman, praying openly and with a complete absence of self consciousness.
It was the first time I had been in a country where faith is so much a part of the daily breath of life. And while I know there is infinite complexity below the surface of what I saw, I still envied the easy presence of spiritual practice. I envied the men and women I watched from my hotel window at 6:30 one morning, walking through dark rainy streets towards the golden light of the mosque. I envied the women I saw praying at the tomb of the poet and mystic philosopher Mevlâna (Rumi), oblivious to the stream of people passing behind them, their hands cupped towards their chests, their focus turned inwards.
I don’t think my faith needs to be always on display, like a piece of jewelry, but I would like it to be such a comfortable part of my daily life that I’m at ease expressing it before others, whether they understand it or not. I’m not sure how to do this though, and it’s something I continue to explore.
Do you ever find it hard to express your faith openly? What inspires you to do so?
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{ 11 comments }
I wear a Miraculous Medal. Actually, I never take it off. To me, it is a reminder of my Catholic identity (not the only, but definately a pressence). In times of trouble, I find myself holding onto Mary and am brought to prayer and comfort in resting in her mantle and in her Son’s arms. It is a comfort. It is also a sign of my faith to others. Living in the “Bible Belt,” I am a minority as a Catholic and my medal has been a witness to others – Catholics recognize it and it brings us together as a community, nonCatholics have questioned me about it and it has given me an opportunity to minister to others about my faith in a nonobtrusive way.
I was always afraid to witness for my faith. I was always afraid I would get someone from another faith who really wanted to debate and would try to get me to “mess up” and they would “win”. I didn’t like that thought or potential feeling, like I just let God down.
Fortunately I noticed that witnessing can take many forms. Such as the fact that my husband is not Catholic and some of the rituals we have, or even just the names for them, made him curious. Fortunately for me he would ask me what I considered easy questions, I would explain, and then I would realize that I had just been witnessing! Gee, that was easy!
I worked as a receptionist for our church and just being the face people saw when they walked in, I realized was witnessing. Simple questions from visitors, Catholic or not, can be witnessing. Even something as simple as helping a person call for a tow truck because their car broke down out front can be witnessing just in actions, with love, concern, giving comfort, listening while they vent about their car. Once I realized how basic and simple and everyday it is, I am much less afraid to be a witness for my faith. I am still worried about running into “the debater” but I know in my heart that God will help me answer them appropriately.
You said it Jerry,
Did not someone once say “Preach always and when necessary use words”.
I have a cross and a medallion of Blessed Anne Marie, the foundress of the Sisters of St Joseph (I am an associate). I wear them publicly. If someone asks, I answer.
I do find myself holding them when I am distressed and sending up little prayers. They strengthen me.
Christine
One way to witness is to make The Sign of the Cross before saying grace in a restaurant. I do that sometimes. Other times I don’t. When I do I wonder what others think. When I don’t, I get others don’t think, because how would they know what I’m omitting?
During Lent, especially Holy Week, I wear a scrimshaw pendant of the crucified Christ surrounded by dogwood tree blossoms. I have noticed some people find it hard to look at me when I wear it.
Interesting to read how a nun’s live looks like in the ‘modern times’ of now. I did read the blog with great interest! Thanks!
Marloes
i, too, have always envied the easy call to prayer of the muslims, and the easy response.
for years i couldn’t say the name of jesus aloud. god was a distant, unfriendly deity with no relevance in my life.
once i could say jesus, though, everything was different. better. it wasn’t because i said the name; i was able to say the name because something else had changed in my relationship with god. i think a lot of it had to do with living at home. once i grew up and moved away, my faith became precious, and my own. it was suddenly easy to share.
i think it amazed me to realize my faith had been buried all my childhood. once i claimed it as my own, everything changed. i became such a good teacher of the faith. i saw god in everything.
things changed again, but i still know who god is, and she isn’t the god of my childhood. i can still talk about her to pretty much anyone. but i can’t see her as easily.
i guess we have seasons in life for everything. there was a season when i couldn’t open my mouth, a season when i talked nonstop, and now a free season but a cautious one.
sorry to babble. thought-provoking post.
Love your post!
I’m from Malaysia and 95% of my friends are Muslim. I’ve always felt that although we’re from different religions, we can still encourage each other in our respective faith journeys.
They are quite prayerful people. I learnt how to pray regularly, even at the times when i’m feeling tired or “not in the mood”. When i’m oncall with my Muslim friend, she will say “Oh, i’m going to go and solat (pray). Are you coming?” Then we’ll both go to our oncall room. She prays her way and i pray the Divine Office!
The other thing i learnt from my friends is to say grace before meals! I used to be too shy/forget to say grace. But when i started working, many of my friends and the staff nurses will say “Bismillah..” before eating. So i figured, hey, if they can remember, why can’t i?! Since then, i’ve managed to be fairly consistent with making the Sign of the Cross before i eat. (Still forget sometimes! Oops..)
My Muslim friends and i have these really interesting theological discussions, comparing the similarities between Catholicism and Islam. When we know more about each other’s religion and love for God, there’s a lot less fear and a lot more understanding (and dare i say, at times, solidarity!) =)
This is lovely, it’s wonderful that you and your Muslim friends learn from each other and can support each other on your journeys, what could be better than that!
I have a Jesus shirt with an amazing image of Him on the front and the phrase “I am the way” written on the back. I have been wearing it for over three years and never really thought of it as a form of sharing my faith until today. I wore it to the store, the gas station, the beach and the hospital and for the first time noticed people noticing my shirt. Sometimes I would get a smile, other times a stunned look. I hope that the people with the smiles and the stunned looks are thinking of their faith and how they can share it with others too. Love and light, Mireille
It’s easy to display one’s faith somewhere like Le Mont Saint Michel where I have been to three times (Normandy), or Lourdes (been once) or such like, whilst wandering around churches (went to St. Lisieux recently too). But, in every day life on the street is it less accessible to be so open. Still, in some towns, the Church here in France anyway, is often open and with candles burning and so people can just pop in, whilst shopping, and offer up prayers. Indeed, where ever I go in the world, I just make a point of finding the Church and popping in. In the UK, often a Church can be closed and locked up, which is sad. But in places like Wells and Glastonbury, there is easy access. At home, I have icons on display which are part of the decor and, whilst I know that some people feel “uneasy” or “odd” because of this, I don’t really let it bother me; as in, do I really “mind” what prejudice they might slap on me on the basis of icons in the living room? When ever questioned about “Catholicism” in other contexts, I generally find out the knowledge of the questioner in terms of their generalisations about “the Catholics” having committed many wrongs, and their intense drive to “argue” something or other suddenly disperses. I, too, would like to be in a society more open to showing veneration to saints and God, as a daily habit if one wishes, without having to feel that “being not secular” is a sign of my imprisonment in a faith, as opposed to my own desire to explore and show that faith.
God Bless.
I wear a cross all the time, but I see its role as “witness” secondary to my actions. Since the cross sits over my heart for the most part, I see it as my own reminder that I am a Catholic and that I am therefore called to live my life through the filter of my Catholicism – namely Jesus Christ. When I see it reflected back at me in the mirror, it reminds me of how I am to live – especially important when I’m in the ladies room after a paricularly difficult meeting and I see that cross reminding me to be charitable at all times! It also acts as a filter for what I let into my life – it is a barrier to what is hurtful to my relationship with God. Hopefully by wearing it, I am continually reminded of who I am called to be and how I am called to live – and that should be the primary way I witness Jesus Christ to my family, my community – and especially to the larger world who doesn’t know Him yet!