Today we heard the gospel reading that included Peter's denial of Christ. Three times, Peter denies he knew Jesus. He does this even after Jesus warned him he would. He does it anyway, seemingly oblivious to what he has done until Jesus looks at him with love; then he remembers.I wondered if, in our quest to avoid offending, we don't deny Christ when we hesitate to wear a crucifix, or keep our ashes on our foreheads, when we are going out among the general public. Where do our rights as Christians begin and end? What about consideration for others' feelings? If your work place doesn't have explicit rules about wearing religious jewelry, is it ok to wear it?
What is the purpose of wearing religious jewelry?
What do you all think?
5 comments:
Wow.. This is a powerful testament and drives it right home.
Even though I openly wear my St. Benedict's Medal to work and "around", I do find myself in this "boat", especially being from an area where secular humanism and making your own faith from the cool aspects of Buddhism and other Eastern/Pagan practices is the norm.
I will look on this as a challenge to do better. I'm also sharing this on the Stumbling Home Blog
Thank you for sharing.
I have gotten more reluctant to wear any religious items (openly) at work and needed the boost to do this during Holy Week at least.
(Oh, also, your other post didn't go through for some reason. Feel free to re-post if you want.)
Oh, never mind about your other comment. It's up now.
Wow, I never saw it from that perspective: that whenever I tuck my cross into my shirt when I get to work, I'm denying Christ... Or when I say grace at lunch and not make a sign of the cross, I'm denying Christ...
But then, I don't want to be that Catholic who is only recognizable by his jewelry or his motions. What Saint was it that said, "Preach the Gospel everyday. If necessary, use words." Maybe we should strive more to be recognizable by our actions? This has always been an iffy question to me. Where is the line between living the Gospel and grandstanding?
I know what you mean, Patrick. I go back and forth about it too. I don't want to be embarrassed about my faith, but I don't want to be prideful either.
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