OH, Mexico!
Cuernavaca, Mexico is a beautiful, ancient city. Today several of us walked downtown to see the cathedral. My, what a beautiful sight! The church complex was huge. It consisted of several chapels, and was made of solid stone. It took the Franciscans 60 years to build in the 1500s. Five hundred years ago--how could they do it? And mexico was merely a wild colony with minimal technology! Such devotion they must have had. Such a reverent, beautiful place. I have to cross myself, I cannot help it. Even the most rowdy renegade in our group has been transformed for a moment into a quiet admirer, with his hat crumpled in his hand.
Then we leave and cross the street. I must come back sometime, I think to myself. And I look up to see most of my group at the counter at the bar across from the cathedral with bottles of Dos Equis. I have to laugh. My, how the ambiance has shifted!
posted by Carmen @ 4:16 PM
3 comments
As Jill, you are confident, respectful, and a little bit bossy! You have an acquired taste for adventure, and love any challenge that you have to face.
3 Comments:
crossed yourself? really?
Carmen.
Allow me to explain, my dear. I noticed last year that our Mexican guide crossed himself before entering a different cathedral. I asked why, because I knew it was a catholic thing, but he didn't claim to be a catholic. His response was very interesting. "When one crosses themself, it is not that they are catholic or believe in the catholic rituals. It means we honor what we came from and the sacrifices many people made to build this church, and that we respect the death of Christ. Remember, His cross covers us. That is why." I crossed myself because I remembered what he said to me. I haven't done that before, but i was caught off guard and awed by the cathedral. "His cross covers us." That's such a beautiful thing, and thank God for it!
hmm ... i'm still leary of it. I think Catholics concentrate too much on Christ's death ... rather than the holistic approach ... glorying in his life, ministry, death, resurrection, current mediation, and future reign equally.
Post a Comment
<< Home