An Experienced Faith

The biggest adjustment to moving to Switzerland for me personally has been adjusting to the lack of church community. Coming from my experience of working for the church in the States, thus being embedded within its community, to not having a community at all, has been a huge adjustment. And it is not just me. Our family has not attended an English-speaking Mass since Palm Sunday. We have attended Mass in Italian, French, and German respectively since then. (More to follow on these experiences next week).

In the city of Bern, there is one English-speaking Mass a week offered on Sunday mornings at one of the local Catholic Churches. That is, if an – priest is available.

It’s amazing how our experiences can shape our perspective if we are open. And with a renewed perspective, maybe even a renewed focus.

There has been much talk within the church in the states about Mass attendance hovering around 20%. I don’t know what the statistics are here, but my guess is it is probably the same or lower depending on where you live.

Working in the Church for 7 years prior to moving here, I have been involved in and heard many different reasons why church attendance is what it is, and different theories on ways to try to change it. What I do know is that the answers are not black and white, and the circumstances are very complex based upon cultural and nurture experiences. Yet most of all, the reasons are personal.

Moving over here, and experiencing what we have experienced as a family, have only bolstered these sentiments.

This experience has humbled me in ways that I have yet to unpack. Ways that have sparked a need to again question the basics in my own life. Why God? Who is this Jesus? Why Church? In other words, living here has allowed me to re-discover a faith that is first and foremost a gift. A gift that is experienced.

Experienced within my interactions with my wife and children. Experienced within my interactions with my neighbor. Experienced when I interact with people who are annoyed that “an American” is in their village. All of these instances are opportunities to experience this wonderful gift, that we call faith.

All of this is to say, it makes me think about the church in Philadelphia and wonder about the things we choose to care about.

For faith is truly a gift. It is not a given. And it has to be experienced. Especially during the times of change, struggle, feelings of abandonment, and need.

For God became flesh… and He experienced the same.

“Many people perceive Christianity as something institutional — rather than as an encounter with Christ — which explains why they don’t see it as a source of joy.”

-Pope Benedict XVI