After a brisk walk through Brooklyn Heights, my best friend and I arrived at St. Boniface Church. The dazzling stained glass had me staring up at the windows for the whole mass. I visited Melaney this weekend and per our tradition, if I sleep over on a Saturday, we go to church together on Sunday. As with all Catholic masses, I knew the order of ceremony and therefore felt comfortable even though St. Boniface isn’t my regular church. But then the priest said something that surprised me at the end of the hour.
In an effort to build more community within our parish, please turn to the person next to you and introduce yourself.
Of course, Melaney and I jokingly said hi to each other first, perhaps because we weren’t expecting the priest’s request to interact with strangers. Then, we turned to those around us and swapped names and smiles and handshakes. In two minutes, I was filled with even more joy and hospitality towards my fellow humans.
It is so easy for weekly mass, especially in a new church, to become a very individual experience. Learning how to start a church in this modern age means taking a lot of different factors into consideration. New churches work like this: go in, praise, pray, Communion, leave. That’s why my favorite part of mass has always been the “Sign of Peace.” For those who don’t know, the “Sign of Peace” is when everyone turns to the people around them and shakes hands, saying “Peace be with you.” I always try to grasp the person’s hand with both hands and make my interactions as genuine as possible, with a big smile. Connections between humans is interwoven with what our religion teaches. So, this moment of community is crucial for us to remember that.
So when the priest suggested we go a step further and swap names as well as handshakes, I was delighted. Of course, I wouldn’t be a consistent face there, as I don’t live in Brooklyn. But I don’t think that matters, because everyone is your neighbor.
Melaney and I walked out, chattering about how cool that experience was. I left thinking about how my own church could create our own community traditions. An introduction is so simple, yet so powerful, in making someone feel comfortable.
Your challenge today:
Think about daily or weekly routines where you go through the motions without making a genuine connection with the people around you.
To get you started, consider:
– Class
– Meetings
– The supermarket
– …etc
A connection doesn’t need to last more than a minute for it to have a positive ripple effect. Believe me, keep lighting little sparks in your heart, and everyone around you becomes a friend.
