Aim to Explain the Claim

Last Thursday night was interesting. I went out on the town (not to paint it red, mind you) in Hamilton – my first experience of the nightlife since moving to New Zealand. Good time, definitely had fun: lots of dancing and bright lights, haha! Two of the other American exchange students and I decided we didn’t need to stay out til’ 3 a.m., which is when the bars close and most people surrender their bottles to head home. We had already been downtown a couple of hours and it was midnight – so we walked back to the bus stop to see if the bus still ran that late. No, we found out to our dismay, it does not. Soooo, instead of using money on a cab – we figured we’d just walk – see how long of a stroll it is back to the Uni anyway (not that far actually, maybe 25 minutes – and hey, it’s summer time in New Zealand).

We walked by a big ole’ honkin’ church and then an interesting conversation happened between my new humorously (at least for me) awkward friend, James, and me:

Me: “Oh cool! Check it out – a church. I’ve been looking for one since we got here! I wonder what kind it is?”
James: “It’s looks like it’s a Catholic Church. Yup! That’s what the sign says.”
Me: “Ah, crap. So was the last one!”
James: “Y’know…I’m Catholic.”
Me: “You are?”
James: “Ya!”
Me: “Are you really Catholic?”
James: “Ya. I’m Catholic.”
Me: “Oh cool. Are you going to church on Sunday?”
James: “Well, I’m not practicing.”
Me: “So…you aren’t actually Catholic….”
James: “I grew up that way --- Catholic. What do you mean?”
Me: “I mean – do you actually believe…what Catholicism teaches – that there is universal truth?”
James: “Wha...wha…wait. What are you talking about?”
Me: “Catholicism. Universality. The word “Catholic” means “universal.” Catholics claim that truth is universal. Do you believe it is? Y’know, as opposed to everything being relative? Catholicism is opposed to relativity.”
James: “Well…I don’t know about all that stuff.”
Me: “Oh, ok. That’s okay. I definitely believe in universal truth, but we don’t have to talk about all this stuff if you don’t want. I totally don’t mind.”
James: “What are you?”
Me: “I’m Christian! I’m just not Catholic.”
James: “What’s the difference?”
Me: “Well, they both believe in Jesus as their savior – just lots of stuff. We can totally talk about it all sometime if you want. I love this stuff. I’ll be studying a lot about it this semester, but we don’t have to right now if you don’t want!”
James: “Ok.”
Me: “Ok.”
James: “I think we turn left here.”
(Other kid with us who has been in utter silence the whole time, to the left turn says, “cool.”)

My mental state since I have been here has been partial internal chuckle (for all the conversations like these) and partial broken-heartedness (for all the conversations like these). We, as the human-race, are so unaware of our own neglect for consistency in the very thinking that makes up our own basic belief systems.

God – I pray that you keep exposing us for all the abuse and hurt we cause you and one another by our own unwillingness to seek you. You are so good and so right and so pure and so…you. Your truth is brilliant and bright and I am just so thankful that I get to be a part of it.

Amen.