The One with the Thursday Trips

For a person hitting his/her 30s, sometimes, you face questions about your career, your marital status, your weight and your lifestyle. You rarely get questions about your faith, unless you're friends with devout and zealous church-goers. More often than not, people tend to ask you more about your earthly definition of happiness, truth and faith more than you're asked about your afterlife. 

Back then, I always thought that heaven is a system of earning brownies points. Do a good deed and keep it in a spiritual bank account, save it up and life with God and the angels would be a certainty. I think a lot of people have that same concept. We often think that there's a million ways to get to heaven and a lot less ways to get into hell. We always have a concept that God is loving and forgiving, so we try to do good, and be good. Now, I think I know better. 

People often go to church, but they're still trying to figure out their faith.

The one thing I often don't understand is how people from various sects and religions often criticize those that don't belong to their faith. People yoking with unbelievers is often unheard of in certain beliefs. It's an issue when it comes to marriage, jobs and for some people, even friends. 

With Jessie and Candy in this place we call "Liempuhan". 

Jessie, Candy and I go to this church called St. Jude in Manila. We either eat first, then we go to church, or we go to church first and eat. It's a combination of everything - reflections on the day, the week, the year, then a slightly spiritual experience that you tend to want after a long day.

Interior of the church, here for the novena. 

The church is so bright, with beautiful stained glass windows. 

More of the interior. 

Excellently executed altar. 

The last homily I heard from the parish priest was about lepers. Those lepers from the time of Christ have to leave their homes, their families and wear a sign that says to the world that they need to be feared and isolated. Sometimes, everyone feels like a leper. We sometimes tend to feel alone and that no one would be there to care for us. Sometimes, life is a bully and so are the people that surround us. 

I wonder if, on the flip side, those that tend to point their fingers ever wonder about being bullies themselves. I have had people telling me that what I do is wrong, that I'm evil and that I will go to hell. People tend to be self-righteous when they feel like they have done everything you just have to do. I have been a leper and I probably still am in those people's eyes. 

The other day, I had my brush with this type of bullying. A person knocked on the door and asked me if I wanted to be saved by God's power. I said my thanks and told him it's ok. He remained on the door and said "Kapatid, mas mainam kung makikinig ka sa totoong Diyos Ama, at wag maniniwala sa iba." <read: Sister, it's better if you listen to the real Heavenly Father and don't believe in others...>

I'm not a very "religious" person. I'm not self-righteous and I certainly welcome any type of faith. I have no right to tell anyone what kind of faith or belief they should be practicing. I'm just glad I live at a time and a place where you can practice what feels right. Everyone has their own beliefs and I'm glad I am keeping my own. 

Note: No photographers were harmed intellectually during the making of this post. Pictures that were not taken by **meg** were obtained legally from Stock Xchng. 

Candy is a blog author herself. Read riveting revelations about Candy on her blog.