I say this because the area where we ended up is actually our old neighborhood and we knew there was a tire shop a couple of blocks away. I was able to call up a friend—also from the old neighborhood—to help me get the tire off and take it to get replaced. In the end it took us about a half an hour to get it off, get it replaced, and get it back on the truck. Again, I say thank God.
The Great Gift of the Church
Though flat tires are hardly ever fun experiences, I must say that this got me thinking. I try to see God in everything and in this case it was no different. You see, the old neighborhood in my story is a symbol of the Church. Recently I wrote about the importance of the communitarian aspect of Christianity. God doesn’t need rules and religion, but we do. And He knew that. That’s why Jesus didn’t just leave us to figure it all out for ourselves. No. He left a Church, with structure, with hierarchy, with authority, with a deposit of faith, with sacraments, with grace, and—thank God—with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
A Family
We need the Church. The Church is often referred to as a home or a hospital for sinners. This is true. And as broken as we are after the fall, we need healing and we need help. That’s exactly what the Church offers us. Like the friend I called upon from the old neighborhood, the Church provides us with a community of fellow believers—a family of faith. Obviously, we can’t get through this journey called life on our own. In the movie Into the Wild, Christopher McCandles leaves behind his family and seeks out a life of freedom in the solitude of the Alaskan wilderness only to come to the realization that “Happiness is only real when shared”. How true!
The Saints
Our faith is meant to be lived in community. In the Church we find not only help from fellow travelers, but inspiration from our older brothers and sisters who have walked the walk before us. The saints are those who have been made holy through the grace of God and have entered into His eternal glory in Heaven. What a gift it is to be part of such a big family!
The Sacraments
Throughout the different circumstances of our lives we need the Church. As in my experience in the old neighborhood I was able to find the tire shop where I could get help in changing my tire in order to continue on my journey. The Church gives us the great gift of the sacraments which in turn are a sharing of God’s life and love with us in a spiritual manner through physical signs. We enter into the family of God. We receive healing and forgiveness. We express our love and gratitude by sharing and serving others. Thank God for the Church.
Help on the Journey
The Church is like the old neighborhood. I was glad to have got a flat tire where I did, because I was able to get it fixed quickly and get back on the road. I called upon a friend who was willing to help me out. And even with the obstacles that presented themselves I was able to get where I was going, to serve my community as a catechist, sharing the faith, and inviting families into a personal and intimate relationship with the living God in the person of Jesus Christ. What a blessing!