By Gary Topping–
(Editor note: All this week, our regular bloggers are considering, and writing about, the question of why belong to a religion when the fastest growing demographic is no religion at all?)
“After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Will you also go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. . . .’” John 6:66-68 RSV
Always impulsive, always impetuous, this time Peter got it right. And that’s why I’ve stayed with organized religion all these years despite all the arguments against it and all the defections of my friends who have left in disgust over church scandals, priests lacking in compassion, hypocrisy, and any number of other objections. It’s where I find the words of eternal life.
Any religion worth its salt is going to call people to a higher standard of behavior than that to which they might be naturally inclined. It asks us to be better, and that striving for a higher standard can put us into an uncomfortable place; in fact, it can be downright painful. But I figure that goes with the territory; after all, being nailed to a cross was more than a bit inconvenient. Those who answer Jesus’ question, “Will you also go away?” in the affirmative of course have many reasons for doing so. But unless they make a parallel move into another religion, I have to believe that they have grown weary of living according to a standard of behavior not of their own making, and are seeking an opportunity to write their own ticket, which will be an easier one. I know it would be if I were writing my own.
In the Church I found those “words of eternal life.” I never found them out hiking in the canyon country, fishing a trout stream, at political rallies or at musical events. I never found them in a philosophy class, a science class, nor, to my chagrin as a professional historian, in a history class. I find them at Mass and in the confessional. I find them (along with other kinds of words as well!) every time I have lunch with Mike O’Brien or George Pence, or when Scott Dodge or Jean Hill pop into my office and we experience the reality of Jesus’ promise that where two or three of us are gathered in His name, he is in our midst.
“To whom shall we go”? I’m staying right here.
