Our family doesn’t need a reason to get together, because we do it all the time, but this past weekend we did it with spiritual purpose; It was for baby Arthur’s christening ceremony. As we gathered around the water, donned our best clothes (and before we did some day drinking) I broke church protocol and sneakily snapped this precious picture. Note: the Dean even has a halo!
Mind Body and Soul
Going to church is a lot like going to the gym; it is hard to get up the gumption to go but, once you do, you feel good about yourself.
Me being what is called a cradle Episcopalian, I raised my kids in the same faith. My father was a Pennsylvania Catholic with 12 brothers and sisters. My mother, an only child, was a Methodist from Batesville, Arkansas. The two met in Washington DC during WWII and settled in Little Rock after the war. As a compromise they had their 3 children confirmed in the Episcopal Church (commonly referred to as “Catholic lite”).
I wouldn’t say we went to Little Rock’s downtown cathedral a lot, but I do have some memories of being an angsty teenager there; the kneeling, the praying (or should I say begging) and the wondering, “Who am I, what am I, and where will I be when I grow up.” I prayed for good grades, big boobs, to be popular, and to be relieved of the burden of acne. Believing in a higher power of any kind is comforting at any age and the discipline it takes to attend church can make even the lowliest feel proud of themselves.
Rule Maker Not Breaker
On this beautiful Sunday morning, with purpose in mind, we joined our family and friends in church. Like us, there were two other baby families gathering for their christening. The pews at the back of the church were filled with extended families and overdressed infants. All the raucous behavior and cacophony of baby noises made it impossible to hear the sermon or the announcements when the preacher asked, “would the McCoy’s take a seat now.”
Thank goodness we were paying attention when our christening turn came, and we were called to the Baptismal. Together we huddled around the font and watched as Arthur reached his hand in and splashed the water, thus getting a good dousing, and a full-on wet blessing.
It was splendid and I wanted to stay present, be engaged, but I couldn’t dare miss the opportunity to capture it on film. With phone in hand and down low, I broke the church rules and snapped a discreet picture of the rite. And I am glad I did.
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