#176 Nunsuch — Part 2

"If you eat meat on a Friday, that's a mortal sin," said the priest during Religion class.

"Who says?" I asked.

"The Church says," he replied. "The Church is the direct extension of Jesus."

"So Jesus said you can't eat meat on Friday?"

"Not exactly. But through those he appointed to carry on his church."

"So, we don't know for sure?" I prodded. The priest wasn't happy.

"That's just the way it is."

"Who says?" I asked again.

"The Catechism says. It has everything in it. You read it, don't you?"

"Yes, Father. But I have some issues..."

"Are you messin' with me, son?" he asked, angrily.

"No, sir. I mean, what are we supposed to do? Just accept all this on faith?"

"Yes!" he shouted. "That's what faith is!"

"Who says?"

He regarded me carefully, the vein in his forehead slowly collapsing. "Alright. Let's go through 'em, shall we? Anyone else here got concerns?" All eye contact diverted, except mine. "Good. Now, your concerns?"

"Do the good really have so suffer with the bad?"

"Yes, they do."

"What Commandment is that?"

"It's somewhere between the Eleventh and Twelfth."

"Do you have to do what your parents say, even if it's bad?"

"Yes, you do. Fourth Commandment. "

"God! What about them?"

"Second Commandment, son."

"If I fall asleep during Mass, am I going to Hell?

"Third Commandment. So go to Confession."

"I'm not saying I did. Just if. What if I die if I don't steal an apple to eat?

"Seventh Commandment. Eat that apple and your soul'll die."

"Father, what's adultery. It's not as bad as killing, since it comes after. But is it worse than lying, which comes after it?"

"Adultery's lying...in a way."

"So there're two commandments about lying, then?"

"In a way," he repeated.

"What the difference? I'm into four commandments already. I'm getting worried here."

"The difference is, well...a grown-up thing."

"Too grown up for me? Like all this coveting stuff, too?"

"Yes."

"Who says?"

"That's it! I'm dismissing your Guardian Angel from the room. Now you go and report to Sister Helena about this adultery stuff. Now move!"

I never felt so alone in the comfort of my faith.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Louisiana, the place I grew up and lived for a long time, just made it a law that the 10 Commandments must be displayed in every classroom. 47th in academic achievement, and this is what the state worries about.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Amen! For Monday, June 24, Day 176 of the Story-a-Day Challenge

366 WORDS (without A/N)

Title-accompaniment photo was AI-generated but the stones for the glass houses were not!

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There are currently three surviving Vocal writers still participating in the 2024 Story-a-Day Challenge:

• L.C. Schäfer, challenge originator

• Rachel Deeming

• Gerard DiLeo (some other guy)

Read them. Support them. Pray for them. And watch the stones fly.