The Sound of Faith One Night
SANTA ROSA de COPAN From somewhere we heard music that, in its imperfections, could only have been live. The cobbled streets and hard plastered walls echoed the sound back and forth confusing its direction and distance.
¨They must be having a concert down the hill,¨ I said.
¨No,¨ Replied Katy, cocking an ear, Ï think it´s religious music and nearbye. Let´s take a walk.¨
The night was cool so I threw on a light jacket and we walked out and followed the sound up one dirt road then down another until we found it issuing from an evangelical Mennonite church only two or three blocks from where we had been. Inside the well lit building the congregation faced a stage upon which played a pop band of young people. Men and women raised their arms in the air and gently swayed, without frenzy, in postures of serene ecstasy.
We stood watching, and after a while were spotted. A young man came out, smiled and politely invited us in to join the worship. We politely refused and stood outside a while longer, listening and watching those inside rock back and forth.
¨Part of me really wants to be like that,¨Katy said, sliding her arm around my waist and leaning in closer against the growing cold of the night.
¨Me too, but I am terrified of letting go, of making that step.¨
¨Why?¨
I paused a moment, wondering myself, knowing the answer, ¨Because if I did let myself go I might end up believing...
¨They must be having a concert down the hill,¨ I said.
¨No,¨ Replied Katy, cocking an ear, Ï think it´s religious music and nearbye. Let´s take a walk.¨
The night was cool so I threw on a light jacket and we walked out and followed the sound up one dirt road then down another until we found it issuing from an evangelical Mennonite church only two or three blocks from where we had been. Inside the well lit building the congregation faced a stage upon which played a pop band of young people. Men and women raised their arms in the air and gently swayed, without frenzy, in postures of serene ecstasy.
We stood watching, and after a while were spotted. A young man came out, smiled and politely invited us in to join the worship. We politely refused and stood outside a while longer, listening and watching those inside rock back and forth.
¨Part of me really wants to be like that,¨Katy said, sliding her arm around my waist and leaning in closer against the growing cold of the night.
¨Me too, but I am terrified of letting go, of making that step.¨
¨Why?¨
I paused a moment, wondering myself, knowing the answer, ¨Because if I did let myself go I might end up believing...
posted by Andrew at 2:01 PM
2 Comments:
No, letting go do not mean you end up believing, it means you are open to the experience of belief. Believing entails a lot more, and I am starting to think that some people are just not wired that way.
Well now. Of course we had that conversation. I might actually have read that entry before though.
I never wanted to be like that though, I just wanted to try it, to get a glimpse.
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