The Way of Christ Inside and Outside the Church

For the Church, this is Holy Week, the week leading up to Good Friday and Easter. The central and most important holy time of the year (the early church didn't even celebrate Christmas). And, during this week, as was my experience last year during Holy Week, I am wondering about life in the church. I am wondering in a terribly serious way whether our Christian religion makes us better, or, maybe worse than we would have been without it. I know, this type of worry may disappoint those who are Christian. But, though I feel that the real tradition of the Church is holy and good. I don't think there is much of the real tradition present in the churches of our day. Of course, I don't really know. I just know how it feels. And, often it feels like there is at least as much holiness outside as inside the Church. And, this doesn't really disappoint me. Why shouldn't we Christians be glad that there are good people, good ideas, good works outside of our religious communities? And, to say this doesn't somehow mean to say that the way of Jesus is not the way of truth. But, it is to say that the way of Jesus may be outside as well as inside the Church's fellowship.