Faith and judgement

Although I was brought up in a home that rarely went to church (I think I remember going to church with my Grandmother a couple of times) I had a deep faith in God from a very young age.  I would talk to God regularly and he alleviated my fears frequently.  Did I have a book to read about him? No.  Did I know who Jesus was? No.  Did anyone talk to me about God? No.  Did that stop me from believing? No.  

As I grew older I did start to learn about many different organized religions.  I met John and attended Catholic mass a few times with him and his family.  Did that make me want to be Catholic? No.  It was through a few moments in my life that can only be described as divine that I found a comfort with the Catholic Church.  Do I agree with everything the Catholic Church teaches? No.  Do I love taking my family to mass? Yes.  Do I think it is the one true way to God? No.  How could I ever begin to think that my way or the Catholic way is the only way.  My spiritual journey with God is so incredibly personal, and so unique, and God has made all of us so different from one another.  I can only believe that God has multiple ways of reaching us.   Even my journey and John's journey are completely different.  So I find the judgement that people place on one another regarding faith incredibly preposterous.   Who are we to judge? How can we even begin to think it is our position to judge.  There is only One who can judge on a basis of faith and He is not human.  

Why am I bringing this up?  Well, I was just thinking about it as I was watching the inauguration.  There were two prayers said, both drastically different from one another.  They were spoken across a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people.  Some bowed their heads. Some looked thoughtful.  Some talked during them.  Some said a most exuberant amen.  I watched their faces as I often do at church and it overwhelms me how different we all are.  How we interpret things so differently.  How our views can vary so drastically.  And how completely human we are. What if faith could be the one thing that binds us together instead of ripping us apart?  It could be.  If we could leave our judgement at the door.  If we could love regardless of a persons beliefs or ideologies.  If we could let love, not hate, govern.  

I have faith in God.  A faith I can not begin to explain let alone even understand myself.   You might not.  Or your view of God might be different than mine.  My faith is based in Love.  So I will love you.  Not based on your faith or your views or whether or not you think the sky is blue because who am I to say?  I will love you without judgement upon your spiritual journey.  I hope you will love me back.