Unwavering dedication

I’m not a religious person but I did go to a Catholic elementary school. I distinctly remember one day the local priest came to talk to the class. I often think about this day.

He asked the room full of my classmates: “Why does the man go to church?”

A flurry of hands went up and one after the other, the students answered.

Student: “To be closer to god!”

Priest: “That’s a good answer, but no that’s not why.”

Student: “To feel closer to the community!”

Priest: “Excellent answer, but still not right.”

Student: “To get forgiveness for the wrong things they’ve done?”

Priest: “No, that’s still not why.”

This continued on for another 10 minutes, answers going from confident to uncertain until the priest exhausted all hands in the air. The room fell silent as everyone gazed at the priest, he went on to give the reason.

Priest: “The man goes to church, because the church bell rings.”

The students of the class looked at each other confused. I definitely didn’t get it at the time.

Priest: “You see, the man doesn’t need a reason to go to church. He has decided that faith is a core value to him, and when the bell rings, he doesn’t think of why he will go, he just goes.”

The religious undertone didn’t stick with me, but deciding what’s important in your life, and having unwavering dedication to what you deem important in your life is something to strive for.

A co-worker later shared to me, that a man doesn’t decide every week if he will or will not go to church; he decides only once.

Do you know what your core values are? If so, answer the bell when it rings.