'Peace be unto you'. 'And also with you'. This is the greeting and response respectively at my church; Roman Catholic Church. I belong to three parishes due to my schedules. Saint Martins at Teshie camp, Akuapem and Abotoase parishes. I worship at Teshie mostly and sparsely at Akropong and Tapa Amanya. I am not a regular visitor, let me say the truth.
Other churches greet differently but all to the glory of our maker. greeting: 'praise the Lord' response:'haleluya'; greeting: 'Haleyuya' response: 'haleluya' are but a few greetings and responses in some churches. Identifying with any society or grouping is good for our own welfare especially if it has to do with 'doing our maker's will'. Societal membership comes with obligations; some difficult to fulfil.
I love the Catholic church and its doctrines. The level of freedom is second to none. What amazes me is how you are allowed to put your conscience to the test. You can do every/anything on earth but not all things are good for you. You here, represents your whole; spiritual, health, physical, emotional, communal and social. I have left out psychological and physiological. People are asking what I am trying to say dancing around words.
Young men love to explore and exploration sometimes leads to exploitation which may result in depletion or destruction. I am yet to find out if a catholic has ever been excommunicated for alcohol use. In some churches, people are not allowed to taste alcohol or even go close to it. I remember visiting my friend the chief of a nearby village who also doubles as a pastor with a bottle of schnapss as tradition demands. He had a piece of advice for me: "anytime you are coming to me, do not come with alcohol because I do not touch it. If I should even touch it now, you will see the apostles coming to caution me" I was shocked because I have the freedom to worship and handle alcohol or even taste but I don't taste. I know what you are thinking. You have the freedom in some cases to do whatever you wish to but you have to be mindful of its after effect on you.
Personally, I am unable to go to church as often as my neighbours and my family. Mum is virtually resident in the chapel. I envy that woman and her sibblings. I am struggling to worship with them and I know you also may have the same problem or had it in the past. How did you solve it? How are you solving it? Joining a strict church is not good for some people yet the freedom in my church is also not good for others.
Today, I managed to attend first mass a bit late and the welcome was great and the feeling was good. I wish I am able to honour this obligation every Sunday. Pray with me and for me brothers and sisters that I may be able to offer myself a sacrifice unto the Lord and be at peace with the world. I am conscienceously ensuring uprightness but you never know. Our righteousness is like filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord; says the good book.
JKY is struggling to worship. He can be classified 'sinless' but he does not go to church, mosque nor fetish. I wonder how he worships the Lord. DA goes to church every Sunday but has a questionable charactor. God should have mercy on his creation. Those who visit his temple often, are those who do all the "BAD" things and those who manage sin are those who are too busy or lazy to go to his temple.
In this situation all we can say is, '...and while others you are calling, do not pass me by' because we are struggling to worship you either through our own life styles or some liberal or strict doctrine in our churches.
AMEN
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