Prymer 10.02.16: Relationship AND Religion

Recap of the Prymer session from this past Sunday (Oct. 2, 2016)

We got a chance to learn more about each other in the game “I Love My Neighbor…” when people identified themselves with similar characteristics or hobbies in a reverse musical chairs setting. Then we also got a chance to understand others’ preferences when only two choices were made available. The second game also served as a platform to our theme of “and/or”, in this case Religion OR Relationship. As Catholics the ‘AND’ is, and should be, a more operative word than ‘OR’. All of these are to help get to know each other a little better, an attempt to build a stronger friendship, and ultimately - a relationship - with one another. At Saint Joseph Prymer nights, we not only want to know more about the teens in our confirmation program but we want to help bridge the understanding of being closer to the Church, the community, and to God.

So how would you describe your relationship with God? How would you describe your religious life? More often than not, people say “I don’t need to go to church to worship God and pray. I don’t need a priest to help me talk to Him. I can have a relationship with God without the church.” To a certain extent, this can be true. But our religion is what keeps us accountable for what we say we believe. It provides a structure and acts as an example of how our relationship with God should be like. The Mass in itself is a snapshot of how we are with God, sharing all the good times and the bad with Him. He does not ask us to do anything alone, but with each other, as a community. God exists through those around us. He exists in the religious community which we immerse ourselves in.

We cannot forget that acknowledging our Christian religion without building a bonding relationship with God can also be a vicious cycle. Without actions to what you preach means you lack the courage, discipline, and dedication to what you claim to believe so truly in. The Catholic Church is structured so that we, as faithful servants of the Lord, are encouraged to live a life where we learn and develop good and holy habits that help us grow in virtue. If Mass every Sunday was not an obligation, we would see no reason to go and not have the chance to develop the habit, to be virtuous. It would be easier to push aside all our holy habits aside and in turn, our religion and relationship with God, altogether.

It is not about choosing just our Catholic religion or having relationship with Christ, but it is about choosing both. Together, they make us live life to the fullest with habitual good and holy practices and for us to grow closer to God by celebrating with Him in all that we do, in His name.

It’s not Relationship>Religion, it’s Relationship & Religion.