Last Friday night I was at Angelica's place watching Miss Congeniality when there was a knock at her front door. She told me she was having the usual church group meeting and since it was just one other guy coming over that night (everyone else in the church group was out of town for summer), she asked if I'd stay and join them.
Miss Congeniality is funny and all but my first opportunity at participating in a Bible study trumps all in chill Friday night plans. Benjamin Bratt who? Let's get this party started. Just hanging out with Christians and taking turns reading verses from Jeremiah and discussing his self-doubt in being chosen by God to deliver an important message. I have to say I enjoyed the session more than I thought I would. Richard, the guy leading the study was a cool guy, my age, and was super stoked to have a Muslim sitting in and running her mouth with questions and remarks.
It kind of blew my mind though that a lot of people aren't aware of the many similarities the three Abrahamic religions share. I got to thinking how useful and rewarding it would be if people of all faiths or atheists even volunatarily sat in on each other's meetings in efforts to understand the complexity, as well as similarities of what we each believe and why, something no class could teach, but that's just me. It is curiosity and inclination without confinement, and it is rewarding, without a doubt. Acceptance and appreciation for things that are not familiar to us always is.
We sat around in the living room for three hours, going off topic at certain moments, and then they told me that they ended each meeting by praying for others, and then sharing a personal trouble in our own life that we'd like the rest of the group to pray for. "So, how we do it is, we'll each pray for the person beside us. I'll pray for Angelica and what she just talked about. She'll pray for you, and you me," Richard instructs. We close our eyes and I can hear them muttering words around me. I say mine silently in my head.
Angelica turns to look at me after we're done and says, "Our friendship just reached a whole new level. I'm praying for you now."
No comments:
Post a Comment