Organized Religion

Organized religion. Two words that cause intense emotional response, re-surface past memories both wonderful or damaging. To some readers,  this will pique your curiosity and to others 'organized religion' are enough to make you logout and shudder. Please read me out.

Randy and I have written little about our organized religious experiences here in Florence, not out of shame nor neglect, but out of an ongoing processing within our journey. 

 Our first experience on a sunday night was spent in a freezing cold chiesa. It was  a  glimpse of what heaven will be like. We were greeted by a Finnish woman who was married to the Italian pastor who lead worship on his acoustic guitar. Our guest preacher was  a young Ethiopian man and the testimony was from a young Ukrainian woman. There was a verbal ad for Christian artists presented by a Russian and an American. The rest of the congregation was 3 darling Canadians, 2 fun Nigerians and the rest were mainly  young female  University students mainly of USA heritage. Half of our time was spent singing well known happy choruses. Does it matter if we sang  the Christmas song" Go Tell it on the Mountain " for the offertory?

 Our next sunday was in an Espiscopalian service ( condensed with no hymns for time management of two services) . The rector  is an eloquent orator, thoughtful woman, who stretched our thinking in an intellectual way. The congregation  we have met is mostly retired professors, former art historians or  professionals currently working in Florence.

Another chiesa (church)  we have been visiting regularly is a small church on a main shopping street that proffers organ concerts  or hosts traveling chamber choirs or string quartets  in the evenings. 

 Lat night we went to the Duomo, Santa Maria Del Fiore for a Catholic Mass - the fifth sunday of Lent. So  while feeling very small, in but a side chapel of the massive church, as  people were climbing and chattering in the dome overhead, we heard the Scriptures read and confession was available on the side. It felt monotone, detached and rote. Was it the size of the room or just not knowing protocol or was Someone missing?

Yet while we participate in this organized religion of today we are constantly exposed through our jaunts and visits of organized religions of yesteryear. 

One that was quite incredible was the Certosa Monastery, on the edge of Florence. A rich noble man built himself a house, Ok, a palace, and then attached a monastery and chiesa in the 14C. It housed 18 hermit contemplative monks around a beautiful cloister. These men only came out of their cells on sunday for one meal and on feast days. Each cell had a bedroom, a main prayer room and a garden to tend, with spectacular views out to the glowing Tuscan hills of olive groves, vineyards, orchards and homes. They were taken care of by other 'brothers'. Even as they are buried they are without any markings as to who,what or when they were. Another monastic life we met was through the Badia  Fiorentina. It is a group of people committed to renting in the downtown core of Florence( so they are not tied to materialism),  they squeek out a living so they can practically love the marginalized people; the homeless, the beggars and those who just need a friend to care. They are living not to be set apart but to make a difference. 

It is another Sunday night, and we are trying to make sense of all this religion,  to organize it  and put it in its place. But we  can't and we decided we won't- Jesus loves us each so uniquely - it is a mystery. It is not about us.

Some  find space in the liturgical service to spiritually ponder  and grow, while others find the free form of worship more their style to find the space where they can meet Jesus. And yet others believe they are called to not really exist in relationship with  other people but just with God.

Organized religion is not really   organized; It is merely man's attempts to put God in a box, to reign Him, in so we can grasp His mystery. So at the end of this day, in the mystery I find a cohesive thread to it all. God, since before time began, is the Author of this mystery. Seemingly unrelated events and people, including you and me, are part of  an intricate   story of love and rejection, deceit and innocence and ultimate Redemption.