Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Wet Monday


What is "Wet Monday"? Well, it is a nasty little tradition in Poland . It has the roots from way back where boys would wake up girls with buckets of water and bush branches. It then became a courting ritual and now it is just a way for boys to abuse unknowing women on the street with buckets of water. Now girls attack back though, so sometimes it gets very bad. It was raining yesterday, so, there was little point to do anything. . . but they did. I stayed indoors. :)

I was invited to my friend's home for this time. We were all women (except for the dad) so there was very little "watering". They use squirt guns now, so it has become a "hunting" sport. :) We had a GREAT time together. Their grandmother was there so we spoke mostly in Polish. It was hard and exhausting and fun! I had a great time.

At these dinners with my friends, we always talk about politics and religion. I know, I know, two things you never talk about in the States. . . well we do. We talked and talked until it was time to go to Mass (yes, again!) .

I had some things I needed to do, so I said that I could not go this time. The girls then asked if they had to go to mass and looked to their aunt who knows all of the mass calendar. She said, 'No, this is not one you must go to."

"What do you mean?' I asked.

"Some masses must be attended or it is a sin."

That caught me off guard and my friend saw my confused look. "Don't you have services that you must go to or it is considered sin?" she asked.

"No.' I said. "I go to church because I want to go. I don't go because I have to go." It was then her turn to have the look of confusion. It was a bit awkward, but we all recovered and I could see her thinking about what I said.

It was very interesting to me that going to church is just one more "work" for salvation for this country. I love this group of friends. That is why I left with a heavy heart. How do I share the the Truth without becoming offensive? I know that the Gospel is offensive, but I do not want to be offensive in the delivery. I do not want to convert them to a different religion, but to offer them the Living Water that only Christ can give! Isn't what this whole weekend was all about?

Thank you Lord, for being the Living water that when we take it from You, we will never thirst again! Thank you for your sacrifice on the Cross for my sin!

4 comments:

Tyler and Melinda said...

Wow, Alice! It's really hard for me to grasp that people believe you have to work for Christ's love. I can hear in your words how heavy your heart when what you want is for your friends to experience and know the Living Water, who loves and forgives by his grace. We'll be praying for you and your friends, for openness to discuss these things, and for tender and loving words to share the message of grace with them.

Just Us - The Carlsons said...

wow alice - heidi

Pat R said...

Wet Monday is a tradition I can live without. They have some unusualy ones here in Spain as well. Like throwing tomatoes at each other. Yuck! Glad I don't live in that town.

Praying for you.

Pat R said...

Sorry about the extra "y" on the word unusual. Don't know how that got there. :-)