And the sign said...

Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  It happens more frequently than you might expect; especially given that the sign is owned by the catholic church in my neighborhood.

Seems the Almighty has no message for the faithful or the occasional person stuck in traffic along the highway where the sign can be viewed. After all the expense of its installation and the removal of its outdated predecessor, I would think that this larger than life message board would be more productive; at least announce weekly sermon topics.

I am an inquisitive woman and just might wander up the street and into the church office in an attempt to solve this mystery.

There are several possibilities for the lack of advertisement. You may come up with your own, but here are my top guesses:  Lazy priest. Lazier office staff. No authorization from the Dioceses which governs the church. Possibly the faithful have been overly dutiful in their obligatory visits, that they are not in need of direction or inspiration.  Or perhaps…

The messages no longer apply.

Actually, they never have.  My separation from organized religion came just recently.  I am no longer relegated to weekly chastisements or annual celebratory routines.

My connection with the universe is without boundaries.  I now live without fear of repercussion from one who believes himself or herself in charge of my soul.  How do others live completely and freely through the narrow restraints of religion? My quest is open-ended. There is no "reward" for a life lived
purposefully and lovingly.  There shouldn't be a reward, just the conclusion of the experience.

I am seeking.  I have time now.  At least I think I have the time.  Contradictions abound for I have been sent the message that I will teach and heal.  I missed that sign along the way.

Signage may be as old as recorded history and for the most part, the human has come to rely on it.
I suppose the directional variety was born out of necessity. The advertisements and inspirational
group came later. They're a fact of life, almost global now, multilingual and multicultural.

Still, the church sign remains blank, message-less. A small victory for me and the thousands of would-be readers who have better things to do. With the limitlessness of the internet, the parishioners could opt for messaging: text, twitter, facebook, email, talking watches, etc.  For the generation which prefers
snail mail, there's that choice as well.

I understand the need for advertising, it's basically survival. Even the places of worship
are competing for business. That's not news; but is it a necessity?

I do not need reminders that my soul is in jeopardy. It's not. Never has been.  My journey is continuous.
The signs I choose to read are not the ones brightly lit, blinking and invasive. They're not the ones
vying for my attention.  They are the ones revealed in the quietness of my life, concurrent with the
path I am destined to follow.