Faith in the Damon's Grill Parking Lot

No time is like the present.

After missing 6pm mass, the devout Catholic and his religion-questioning girlfriend sat in the Damon's parking lot before his father's birthday dinner and prayed. There they were with sitting on the cold leather seats, in the dark, holding hands with the rib producing restaurant in front of them . The 40" LCD 1080p evidence from Best Buy of missing mass laid in the back seat.

They began with The Lord's Prayer..."

Together they mumbled:

"Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread...

He mumbled:

"Bless these gifts that we are about to recieve...."

At the same time she mumbled;

"Forgive our trespasses...wait, what?"

The moments the followed were confusion on both sides about what was to come next. They eventually gave up on praying together--the rest of their prayer was done in silence. Afterward, he wasn't so excited about his little $1000 hindrance to attending mass. As man who grew up going to church every Sunday, sitting in Catechism classes in his teen years, he realized he could not remember a basic prayer after missing just one month of mass.

The couple had many discussions about faith in the past, how could they not? He was Catholic and all she knew was is that she had some faith. But sitting in the Damon's parking lot was to come their deepest discussion of faith yet and learned a lot about each other.

He was so thankful for so many things in his life, but couldn't find time to attend mass. How could he not find time one hour a week to acknowledge God? He was taught Sunday is the day of Sabbath, a day of rest, a day for God. But what does that mean? Do you sit around a be couch potato, because after all, that is rest?

The little non denominational/non organized believer had an answer: He acknowledges his faith everyday by living his life the way he does. Which is better, living everyday Christlike or attending church one hour a week to forget him the rest?

Just because you don't pray everyday, or give thanks everyday, but instead live your life like you are thankful to be alive, to love every human being because they are your brother does that suffice?