The Ones With The Most Graces

Judging from the things we do daily, I bet the ones who pray the most are the ones who might be the ones with the most graces. But are you sure? Or is it right to assume that way? For someone like me who almost never miss the attending mass every week, so does it mean I have more graces than the people who seldom go to church?

I still remember an old friend who has this strange addiction of “stealing”. Back in university, her roommate was so shocked to find out that the person who was seen reading Bible everynite, and has a very innocent look, always with the books and also a very good student, actually stole a large amount of money by withdrawing the money from the ATM machine belongs to her. The girl overheard the conversation between her roommate and her bestfriend, speaking about the ATM machine and pin number. The roommate was to go home and entrusted her bestfriend to take out some money to pay something while she was away. They thought it was harmless to say it with her presence in the room since that she was always busy reading Bible. I mean, how much graces can a person get reading Bible everyday when she stole money from others?

This is my point. Although I might look like I’m leading a righteous way of life by going to church every week, but hey, it doesn’t mean anything much yet. People don’t know if I really get something from all the hours I spend at the church. Do I pray well? Who knows my mind wander during the sermon and actually can’t wait for the mass to end. So it’s something like that. It’s not the show that we are after. We want “the quality” behind the show that people could not see. I bet those who are praying at home might get more graces than me during the days when I actually napped during sermons because I was too tired. Some people are very good with putting up a show to get good impression from other people. They get good review when people talk about them because people simply judge from what they can see until they know more. I don’t know if to them, it’s how they define by “being good”. If they can be close enough to God by engaging themselves in religious acitivies, visiting the holy places, be in the church choir or be the leader of a fellowship group, does that mean they have the most graces compared to other people who don’t do such thing?

I saw people who have this kind of living. They are so fanatic about religion but it’s just a show. They are still crooks at the office. They cheat people’s money. They have wild nightlife. They sleep around. They tell lies and mislead people with made-up stories to get some advantage and they simply have their own way to burn people’s trust. They even speak ill of others and laugh at others disadvantages. Still, they have that “angelic” way of living when it comes to religious thing. They devote themselves to praying, more than normal people do. Then I have a question. Do that kind of routine simply make their wrongdoings right? Or maybe, I have a better question.

What is the meaning of engaging yourself with religious activities when these are not affecting the way you live? When these are not enough to make you a good person who does the right thing? Cos in my logic, you can sit the whole day at the church, praying something, but when you get out of the church sounding and acting like a thug, I don’t know how that praying session has affected you. To me, it’s better that someone doesn’t even know how to pray properly but does the right thing.

I write this post because I was CURIOUS. Why people can be so religious but it doesn’t affect their way of life. Why? As for me me, I am not a fanatic, I believe in God more than I believe in religion. To me religion is just a medium. It’s not the religion that we worship. It’s God. And those who are so good with religion but don’t walk the talk, I’m so not sure if they are in the right track. I think that God will still bless people who don’t have religions, but lead the righteous way of life. I saw it that sometimes, these people without religions act better than those who claim to be devotees.

Ehm…Nevermind. Doesn’t matter about the graces and stuff…let’s just do the right thing, Good things will follow. Amen. :)