Cathedral (March 20, 2022)

Went to a cathedral yesterday with my son while visiting Washington DC. We sat in meditative silence while a tearful young woman and her loved one visited the candle area (forgive my ignorance, I do not know about Catholic traditions). After they left, my son and I approached the front and, in a gesture of respect, we copied their farewell and dropped to our knees for a moment and bowed our heads. I loved the beauty of the cathedral, the imagery that was there and the feeling of reverence. I loved that I, a Mormon stranger, could walk right in the door and feel that it was a place dedicated to some sort of holiness. I yearn for our temples to be open this way. I am no longer allowed there, after a lifetime of service that continues to this day, because I choose to not answer the TR questions out of personal objection to this game of "worthiness" that we play. It was beautiful, yesterday. Today the memory is tinted with regret that I feel as though my beautiful church seems to push exclusivity instead of invitation, obedience instead of discipleship.