Today was my confirmation into the Episcopal church at Epiphany, my home congregation. It couldn’t have been a more beautiful service, especially since my dad read my post on Facebook and literally dropped everything to make sure he and my stepmom were there. It meant a lot to me to have them as a part of our congregation during the laying on of hands, and as the bishop put his hands on my head, I literally laughed. I was so full of joy that I couldn’t stop myself. Christine and Lisa (my priest and my presbyter, respectively) smiled at me, and then it was done.
I was home.
After the service, everyone wanted pictures of our class (both the adults and the youth). In most of them, Douglas looks like he’s choking me. It was the most appropriate welcome in the history of the world, because OF COURSE I wanted to stand next to the youth group. Of course I did. It wouldn’t have been confirmation if I didn’t have a gaggle of teenagers all around, smiling and laughing because I was.
Then the group picture broke up and my dad said he wanted a picture of me and the bishop. I turned to him and said, “will you put rabbit ears on my head or something?” He said, “sure,” so our picture together is totally, completely me. We got a serious one, too, but it doesn’t mean as much, because for me, faith isn’t serious. I mean, it is. But at the same time, it’s also a lot of joy. My faith wouldn’t be mine if it didn’t include a lot of levity.
Being a Christian is hard. If we are called to be Christ to the world, it’s more than just showing up on Sundays. It’s looking into the face of homeless people and offering them bread. It is accepting no matter who shows up, and giving them food, anyway. It is seeing where there is no justice, and working to fix it. It is seeing other people, standing in their pain and shame, and trying everything to bring them the light that other people have brought to you.
Plus, the bishop has cool spiky hair. I bet yours doesn’t.
Stories That Are All True 