Maybe you CAN build a church for Easter. Or part of Easter, anyway.
A lesson I learned from my father – we always went to 5:45AM on Christmas, which was totally uncrowded – and fast.
And over early.
While 5:45 was only scheduled on Christmas, we also went early on Easter, beating that tsunami rush too.
The crowds not as large for the Ascension, Assumption, or Flag Day, so we slept in a bit.
The lesson: You can beat the crowds if you’re willing to be time flexible. And you might get some deals, too.
As proof, the best happy hours are 9-11A, golf is half price after 9P, and the senior dining specials begin at 3P – the best places throwing in ‘mashing your food’ as part of the special.
We were visiting our daughter and her family, and we went to 7:30 – a Catholic thing, identifying mass by time.
And while it was crowded, we were able to get a seat – at past later-starting Easter masses, we’ve been in the parking lot, a bit like being at a drive-in movie, absent the snack bar video with the hot dog being coerced into jumping into the bun.
The priest appeared to be of foreign origin, with a difficult to decipher accident, so I’m still not sure what the sermon was about, but the word holy kept popping up. So, I’m guessing it was about Jesus. And I may have caught resurrection, too.
And church more relaxing than when we were little, without punishment meting members of The Nuns nearby. Their rosaries had some sharp edges…
But it led to a few church games: Will the visiting priest’s difficult accent get him deported? Can you make the person in front of you turn around by staring intently at the back of their head? And could I fold the only dollar bill I had in a way that made it look like it had company?
The last thing makes me wonder how churches survive these days, if no one carries cash. I’m expecting ushers to begin carrying card processing machines, and offering 2% per contribution off purgatory.
As we were leaving, the 9A crowd was already lined up, so all good. I shook the priest’s hand on the way out, expressed my condolences on the Pope’s passing, and asked him to pray for the end of the tariffs.
Not sure of his reply, but as holy was part of it, I’m guessing it was about Jesus – and maybe the tariff impact on rosary prices. Maybe resurrection, too.
But during our time of quiet contemplation, it dawned on me I didn’t know much about other religions: As Catholics we were taught we were praying to THE God, all other religions praying up the wrong deity. The Pope was the man – infallible! – the bible not so much.
Based on ‘research’, there are 300+ religions in the US, but 5 major ones, Christianity, the biggest.
I don’t know if the other Christians are praying to THE God, but apparently they don’t really dig the pope and really dig the bible.
But I’m betting Catholics are the toughest faith, since we have to kneel twice during mass.
I definitely understand the desire to be part of a faith, communing with like-minded folks.
Coffee after the service and occasional pot luck suppers are great as well.
But me, I can take or leave church and organized religions.
As they say, I’m leading a spiritual life, attempting to do what Christ would do.
And you don’t have to get up as early on religious holidays…
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ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR IT WITH THE FOLLOWING ‘AGING HIPSTER MUSIC’:
Portugal. The Man is a favorite and they have a new album on the way. I’ve added the new single ‘VIS’ and ‘So American’ ‘Modern Jesus’ ‘Live in the Moment’ ‘So Young’ and ‘Feel it still’ to the BATN playlist. They are the 2nd most famous band from Alaska, where Jewel is the most famous export. The latter can yodel.