On the other side of this gate sits a bench and on that bench Lila and I sat talking about God. She asked about the man hanging on the cross. We visited many churches in South of France and Italy. This one in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume near Sillans-la-Cascade, a pinching cold natural pool and waterfall.
I remember the church clearly for two reasons. First, it holds the supposed sarcophagus of and cult of Mary Magdelene. And two, Lila and I talked about God for the first time.
She asked about the man on the cross, and being Christ on the Cross isn't part of my particular beliefs, it's difficult to answer. She also asked me why people were sitting there.
"They're praying," I told her.
"What's praying."
I too often forget that we take so many things for granted when we speak. What do words like God, prayer, sin mean to Lila? Most words she hears in a context and must divine meaning for herself. Explanations of most of these words lead only to more words to explain.
Who is Jesus? He was a man that, as taught by some religions, was the messiah.
"What's the messiah?" A person who will bring peace and harmony to all people. If you try to simplify even further, perhaps you will say the messiah will make us all calm and happy. I think the five-year-old mind can grasp that pretty well, perhaps better than the 35 year old mind can.
But is that an adeqate definition of messiah?
That was a good day.
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