So often I've heard that "Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship."

Often that's meant as a criticism toward Catholics and their religious rituals.

What those who say this don't seem to understand is that these religious rituals are rooted in relationship.

Religion and relationship go together. Even our human interactions here below include "rituals," which only deepen our relationships. Our relationships would suffer without them.

No one who reads the lives or writings of the saints can honestly come away with the impression that Catholics don't understand relationship with God.

Only the unserious would say that.