I Am Not Catholic, But My Family Loved Joining the Good Friday Pilgrimage! Here’s Why…

Dear Friends, this blog post is part of our NEW! Challenged & (Always) Cherished series! I hope you enjoy it and I pray that it speaks to you and blesses you immensely! If you’d like to learn more about our Challenged & (Always) Cherished series, see the video at the end of this post.

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I am not Catholic, but my family recently participated in the local Good Friday Pilgrimage (and LOVED it!). I wanted to take a few moments and jot down my thoughts and share with you where God has been growing me. And if you hang with me until the end of this post, I truly believe in my heart that you will leave this message with a perfect blend of being partially challenged and fully and deeply blessed!

If there are any spaces that God has been calling me into lately, this is definitely one of them. Reaching out across the aisle, joining hands with other denominations and not just finding, but truly celebrating, our shared love of the Father’s heart. So, when our local Catholic Church posted an invitation open to all denominations to join their 5-mile pilgrimage walk on Good Friday, my family jumped at the chance… and I truly wish that there were more opportunities like it!

It’s not difficult for me to remember where this nudge from my Father to write about this topic started; It was one verse, actually. The verse about Jesus eating with the tax collectors and the sinners…

“But when the religious scholars and Pharisees found out that Jesus was keeping company and dining with sinners and tax collectors, they were indignant.”

Indignant … angry, mad, provoked, offended.

“So they approached Jesus’ disciples and said to them, ‘Why is it that someone like Jesus defiles himself by eating with sinners and tax collectors?'” (Mark 2:16 TPT)

Defiles… to make less pure or perfect.

The verse is about “sinners and tax collectors,” but the moment that I read it, I felt God press on my spirit..

THIS is how you treat EACH OTHER. The different denominations.

We don’t just see our differences. We see each other in definitions of black and white: Sinners and Saints. Lost and Found. Wrong and Right.

And while yes, it’s true that we have some differences, even big ones at times, I’m beginning to learn just how much it pains our Father’s heart that instead of reaching across the aisle in love, we choose to divide.

We draw a line. We create boundaries and reject; ostracize and condemn.

Our Jesus doesn’t sit with them, we think.

They are less pure, less perfect.

And sometimes we feel angry, indignant, and justified, even.

But… Whoa! My heart jumps and I feel myself take in a big, deep breath of understanding. Since when has that been our job to determine?

When asked what the most important commandment was, Jesus said, “love the Father with all your heart and love one another.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Love one another.

My friends, we do so good at loving the “sinner” or the “lost lamb” –  Bless their heart (we say) I’ll pray for them. We do so good at giving to the “needy,” I’m doing what you said, God. I’m helping the least of these.

But what about how we treat each other?

I’m going to challenge you for just a moment…

I have no idea what denominations you are coming from, but I want you to read through this list and be honest with yourself about what thoughts and feelings come to your mind and heart –

Baptist

Catholic

Eastern Orthodox

Jehovah’s Witness

Methodist

Mormon

Non-Denominational

Pentecostal

I don’t think it’s far-fetched to say that I highly suspect that some of those included on the list challenge you, right? You feel your heart thump a bit harder as you read through the list. You hear that old familiar childhood song, “Which one of these is not like the other? Which one of these just isn’t the same.” After all, we’ve been taught to see the differences all of our lives. But let’s take a deep, deep breath… together.

Now, I realize that this list isn’t exhaustive (Please note: there are no intentions behind what was included or not included in the above list except just to provide some examples), but I want you to think about this…

“Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least of these, my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me…

…When you refused to help one of the least important among these my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you refused to help and honor me.” (Matthew 25:40 & 45 TPT)

Now, may I take a moment and share with you what I have been learning about this verse?

There is NO least of these in God’s vocabulary. It doesn’t exist. Plain and simple.

God loves us all the same.

There is no spectrum of His love that our works, our beliefs, our practices, or our hearts ranks us within based on our worthiness. We are ALL children of the same Father and we are equally loved.

(As are the atheist, the non-believers, and those of other religions). Equally loved, my friend. Equally loved.

And sometimes I think that perhaps this is the hardest part of the lesson to wrap our heads around. Why? Because it means accepting that we are no more loved just because of the boxes that we have checked or the appearance that we have upheld to the world.

My friend, we are all loved the same – wholly, unconditionally, beautifully, and perfectly – by the One Who Loves Us Most!

And it’s a thing to celebrate, NOT a thing to allow anger to discolor simply because we want to be loved more than the person standing next to us. Trust me – there’s enough Jesus to fill all of our cups until they overflow. It’s not a thing to allow resentment to taint simply because we want to be more worthy or we think we deserve it for living a “more holy life”. My friend, we’ve all fallen short and we are eternally blessed that He chooses to gift us with what He deserved, not what we deserve. This is grace. His incredible grace.

But hold on, because you see, there is a beautiful challenge ahead…

If there is truly no least of these in God’s vocabulary, perhaps Jesus meant that it is the least of these – catch this – as defined by you. Whoa. This might shake things up a bit; challenge your heart in a different way. So, let’s dive deeper together…

In the Biblical days, these least of these were the ostracized, the outcast, the untouchable lest you end up unclean and untouchable yourself. But what if… for you… the least of these is something entirely different?

What if your least of these is defined by where you personally struggle to give love and grace?

What if your ostracized are the Baptists, the Catholics, or the Jehovah’s Witnesses?

What if your “untouchables” are members of the charismatic Christian community that believe in radical supernatural encounters?

What if? What then?

I can tell you what God told me…

“Love them, Shannon. Love them well.”

You see, you don’t have to agree on everything to love them. You don’t really have to agree on anything to love them. (That’s right – you can love the atheist and love them well!)

Just love them.

What if the Bible said…

“The way that you treated (that other denomination) is the way that you treated me.”

“The way that you spoke about (the atheist) is the way that you spoke of me.”

And what if, because God sees the heart, this included your thoughts, your feelings, and your true internal reactions, even if the words remained unspoken?

What if?

Understand, I am not implying that we accept every truth as our truth or that we must reach an agreement that we believe the same in all things in order to work together. Let’s be honest… that’s likely not possible and a recipe for disaster in our efforts.

But I am implying that we ask God to pour discernment and truth into our connection, that He opens our eyes to the ways that we can serve each other and be a source of strength and support, encouragement, and growth and then we find a way to love each other and leave honor in our wake.

Yes… for some of us, the possible cringe-factor in that challenge causes you to want to reject the challenge before you even have a chance to truly face it. But hear this before you make the choice to stay or turn away –

It’s also a beautiful invitation to let God move through your heart and bring you to a new place with Him.

Love them, my friend. Just love them.

Serve them in a way that blesses your Father’s heart.

Lay down your differences for a moment, reach across the aisle, and take their hand.

We are all daughters of the Most High King, children of a God that loves us beyond measure. We all share the same heart for an incredible and faithful Father that proudly calls us His. And when joined together, hand in hand, the cup overflows and we inevitably spill over onto each other! And our Father smiles.

Yes, my sweet, sweet friend. Today, when we let our hearts connect in a new and beautiful way, and we smile across the room in delight over the journey that we are about to make together, our Father smiles with us.

So, love them. And love them well.

And if you find an invitation to share a celebration of your Father’s heart with someone that may believe slightly different than you, be it a prayer walk, a Good Friday, a shared meal, or other, remember that you can always seek all the wisdom, discernment, strength, and guidance you need directly from Him. Just ask – He will always be faithful to answer.

So just to wrap up this blog post and share a beautiful couple of verses that a friend of mine recently shared with me –

John spoke up and said, “Teacher, we noticed someone was using your name to cast out demons, so we tried to stop him because he wasn’t one of our group.“

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus replied. “For the one who does miracles in the power of my name proves he is not my enemy. And whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:38-40 TPT)

We are all Team Jesus! Love one another.

Blessings, friends!

– Shannon

Final Thoughts:

It’s a beautiful journey. Let the challenges be spaces that God helps us grow and learn, taking His hand and walking in agreement with the Holy Spirit that we do not want to plant roots in this place of comfort, but we want to be watered, stretched, and bloom!

And always remember –

There is no shame in growth! God’s heart is always for you and loves you immensely. Shame is a tool of the enemy. We are covered in God’s love and grace, even in the growing, even in the change, even when we find ourselves in the wrong lane and have to realign. We are challenged, but ALWAYS cherished!

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*This blog post is my reflection on a space that God has been growing my heart. I encourage you to seek God’s wisdom and discernment in any event that you plan to attend. I am not implying or suggesting that every event is the right fit for your heart or your spirit. The absolute best place to take those questions is His heart. He will always be faithful to light the way.

If you enjoyed this blog post, you may like my new book, A Time to Dance: Chasing Joy in Difficult Seasons. Click the link below to be redirected to Amazon for additional information!