Dear Jack,
I woke up early and went to Mass at Mount Carmel Catholic Church. It was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. I came back and ate breakfast (yeah, that's how freaking early it was). Then I went to Holy Cross Charismatic Episcopal Church. I walked in and nearly all of the congregation started hugging me. It was sort of odd. Then I found out that my Aunt Sam was there... whom I had not yet met. So I sat next to her. Then I realized she had a baby, and I gathered it was my cousin... whom no one told me about. GRRRRR. Well then the priest came up to me, and noted how I bowed before entering the pew, and started talking to me about me being Episcopalian and how this service works. He didn't seem to react to me being Episcopalian. Then, just before the service began, my Grandma Pease, Aunt Sandy, and her boyfriend Joe (uncle to be) showed up. The service was like an Anglican service aside from the keyboard and tacky music.
At the time for Prayers of the People, he took prayer requests. My grandmother said, "please pray for my grandson, Jaime, as he needs to get funds for seminary." Then she pointed to me. The priest asked what seminary I was going to (in front of the whole congregation) to which I replied General Theological Seminary. He asked why I choose that one... with an heir of disdain. I said because I liked it and thought it would be best for me. He said, "you need financial aid, and we'll pray for it, and you will get it." I can only hope it is that easy. He then went on a spiel about how I need to be wary of false teachers there, and heretical teachings, etc.. I wanted to say, "yeah, but I'm glad they accept homos, like me." but did not. He then asked if I would be willing to have hands laid on me and prayer after communion. I said, "sure". "hell, why not" is what I wanted to say. And well, hell, why not... no harm could come from it. So they did communion and then I went up for it, and then they gathered like a cult about to sacrifice me to a pagan god. They laid their hands on me and started praying. Some started speaking in tongues. This was my first time hearing tongues spoken in person...above me... by three or four people, including my Uncle Randy.
Just before laying the hands on the priest asked if I had been Baptized in the Holy Spirit... well I thought that happened at Baptism... you know One Lord, One faith, One baptism. Apparently not so with them. He asked what I thought my spiritual gifts were. Uncertain what he meant... I thought Corinthian gifts and said "preaching and discerning of spirits"... I do feel empathetic at times. He then asked, "have you had any manifestations of the Spirit?". I was like... hmmm... I don't think so... I don't know... um... "no, not that I know of." He then said, "Well are you open to them?" "Sure"... ok then... and they prayed that the Spirit will move in me and manifest itself in me while I'm at Seminary. Other prayers included me hearing the Gospel, and boldly being empowered to preach it.
Here is where the strange part kicks in. For a brief moment, my mouth and tongue began to tingle. I cannot explain it. I do not know if it was me nearing speaking in tongues or if my lips had fallen asleep. I said nothing... the prayer ended, and he said, "You're going to be a priest, stay and pray over the others that need it." I did.
I was weirded out about it. I am gay. I know i am gay... they do not. I am very certain they would have not treated me the same way had they known. In their ignorance they gave their blessing and prayers to a gay postulant. They kept telling me to hear the truth. I do not know if what I hear is the same as what they call the truth... but I'm listening.
After that I went with that part of the family to Perkins, and I ate the best Eggs Benedict ever. YUM YUM YUM. Then I went back to Grandma Hohne's house where I napped until around 4:30... I was waiting for my Nephew's to tell me they were home again.
At 4:30 I gave up and took back Signs which I rented for my grandparents. Then I got some dinner... then I decided to try and visit my Grandma Maude. Maude is a friend of the family who I adopted as "grandma" at a young age. We have kept in touch constantly. I drove by her house, and figured I'd try and call... I looked up her name on Cell 411... and they connected me... it was a different number than i was used to. She answered and said, "come on over", so i pulled in the driveway. From her side she had just been visiting with her daughter Vicki when she said she would go home because maybe someone would call. She entered her house, and I called. It was a good visit. Much needed. We talked of everything, and I realized how much I missed her. Turns out she's been reading the Mitford series about an Episcopal priest, and thinks of me every time. She's known my calling since I was in first grade. She is a very open woman, and I commend her for that. We then walked back to Vicki's house and I visited with her too. Then I departed for Grandma Hohne's house. There I got the coveted call from my nephews. I whipped over to visit them. It was a good time. Their mother was out working. We talked till 10ish, then I headed back to Grandma Hohne's.
That's it for this long-ass post.
I woke up early and went to Mass at Mount Carmel Catholic Church. It was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. I came back and ate breakfast (yeah, that's how freaking early it was). Then I went to Holy Cross Charismatic Episcopal Church. I walked in and nearly all of the congregation started hugging me. It was sort of odd. Then I found out that my Aunt Sam was there... whom I had not yet met. So I sat next to her. Then I realized she had a baby, and I gathered it was my cousin... whom no one told me about. GRRRRR. Well then the priest came up to me, and noted how I bowed before entering the pew, and started talking to me about me being Episcopalian and how this service works. He didn't seem to react to me being Episcopalian. Then, just before the service began, my Grandma Pease, Aunt Sandy, and her boyfriend Joe (uncle to be) showed up. The service was like an Anglican service aside from the keyboard and tacky music.
At the time for Prayers of the People, he took prayer requests. My grandmother said, "please pray for my grandson, Jaime, as he needs to get funds for seminary." Then she pointed to me. The priest asked what seminary I was going to (in front of the whole congregation) to which I replied General Theological Seminary. He asked why I choose that one... with an heir of disdain. I said because I liked it and thought it would be best for me. He said, "you need financial aid, and we'll pray for it, and you will get it." I can only hope it is that easy. He then went on a spiel about how I need to be wary of false teachers there, and heretical teachings, etc.. I wanted to say, "yeah, but I'm glad they accept homos, like me." but did not. He then asked if I would be willing to have hands laid on me and prayer after communion. I said, "sure". "hell, why not" is what I wanted to say. And well, hell, why not... no harm could come from it. So they did communion and then I went up for it, and then they gathered like a cult about to sacrifice me to a pagan god. They laid their hands on me and started praying. Some started speaking in tongues. This was my first time hearing tongues spoken in person...above me... by three or four people, including my Uncle Randy.
Just before laying the hands on the priest asked if I had been Baptized in the Holy Spirit... well I thought that happened at Baptism... you know One Lord, One faith, One baptism. Apparently not so with them. He asked what I thought my spiritual gifts were. Uncertain what he meant... I thought Corinthian gifts and said "preaching and discerning of spirits"... I do feel empathetic at times. He then asked, "have you had any manifestations of the Spirit?". I was like... hmmm... I don't think so... I don't know... um... "no, not that I know of." He then said, "Well are you open to them?" "Sure"... ok then... and they prayed that the Spirit will move in me and manifest itself in me while I'm at Seminary. Other prayers included me hearing the Gospel, and boldly being empowered to preach it.
Here is where the strange part kicks in. For a brief moment, my mouth and tongue began to tingle. I cannot explain it. I do not know if it was me nearing speaking in tongues or if my lips had fallen asleep. I said nothing... the prayer ended, and he said, "You're going to be a priest, stay and pray over the others that need it." I did.
I was weirded out about it. I am gay. I know i am gay... they do not. I am very certain they would have not treated me the same way had they known. In their ignorance they gave their blessing and prayers to a gay postulant. They kept telling me to hear the truth. I do not know if what I hear is the same as what they call the truth... but I'm listening.
After that I went with that part of the family to Perkins, and I ate the best Eggs Benedict ever. YUM YUM YUM. Then I went back to Grandma Hohne's house where I napped until around 4:30... I was waiting for my Nephew's to tell me they were home again.
At 4:30 I gave up and took back Signs which I rented for my grandparents. Then I got some dinner... then I decided to try and visit my Grandma Maude. Maude is a friend of the family who I adopted as "grandma" at a young age. We have kept in touch constantly. I drove by her house, and figured I'd try and call... I looked up her name on Cell 411... and they connected me... it was a different number than i was used to. She answered and said, "come on over", so i pulled in the driveway. From her side she had just been visiting with her daughter Vicki when she said she would go home because maybe someone would call. She entered her house, and I called. It was a good visit. Much needed. We talked of everything, and I realized how much I missed her. Turns out she's been reading the Mitford series about an Episcopal priest, and thinks of me every time. She's known my calling since I was in first grade. She is a very open woman, and I commend her for that. We then walked back to Vicki's house and I visited with her too. Then I departed for Grandma Hohne's house. There I got the coveted call from my nephews. I whipped over to visit them. It was a good time. Their mother was out working. We talked till 10ish, then I headed back to Grandma Hohne's.
That's it for this long-ass post.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment