I attended a funeral mass in a local Catholic church yesterday. Amazingly, neither the walls caved in nor did spontaneous fires erupt as I walked through the doors. In respect for the deceased, no doubt.
My last trip to a holy house was about fifteen years ago. also for a funeral mass. This time I was less emotionally involved so I was able to really listen to the service.
Big mistake.
The part that caught my attention was when the priest talked about the flock and how, when one strays, you do not abandon the stray but rather make it first priority to get the stray back. I was with him at that point.
Next, however, he said strays are more important to God than the non-straying members of the flock. This was not only during the straying period but also once the wayward member returns to the flock.
I do not know about you, but if I was a member of the flock who had stayed faithful to God and never strayed in my beliefs, that would really piss me off.
I am unsure why this particular story was told. Perhaps I was not listening as closely as I thought but I do not remember any mention of the deceased straying from the church in the first place.
It is probably better I am not a member of an organized religion. I would ask too many questions and piss people off left and right. I already do enough of that at my day job.
