The words of St. Cyprian in ancient Rome have followed me around all day, dredging up much thought. I've had lots of time to sift through these few words, as bagging groceries and running the cash register never requires an exponential amount of brainpower. I can't help but wonder how far we might've come from the faith of the original "Christian" church as seen in the first decades and centuries following Christ's death. It may sound heretical or even judgmental in many aspects, but I think that we've lost a lot of the genuinity that the early church held onto so hard. Can you not disagree with me? Just read the letters of the New Testament and ask yourself if their descriptions of Christians match what we see all around us today. I feel God has been pressing this upon me and it has challenged an examination of my own life countless times over (note: the moment we feel we don't need to examine ourselves and make changes is the moment we're the greatest sinners). Here are the words of St. Cyprian:

Yet in the midst of it I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasures of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians -- and I am one of them.

What drew this Roman to embrace the Christ in the early Roman church? He compliments it to their quietness, their holiness, their joy. And so questions - questions promting rough examinations of my own life and way of living - bombard me: What does he mean by quiet? Is it simply not talking? No, I don't think so. I am not him, of course, but I think that he is drawn to these people because they are unassuming, not loud-mouths, not whining and complaining, not gossiping; they mind their own business and go about their life. Add to this their holiness. Not only are they a serene and innocent people, but they are holy. Set apart. They live life differently, so differently that the world holds its breath, wondering what is next. How many of us, with our behavior, make the world turn its head and say, "Wait a minute? This doesn't make sense!" And how many of us, with our holiness and joy, make others shake their head and say, "These people are odd. No matter what's going on, they're happy and joyful! No matter what's going on in the world, they live their lives, worship their Christ, live their lives differently, and live life joyfully. There's truly something different in these guys!"? These questions have drawn me into close examination of my life.