Yesterday I went to Mass at my local church which I've been avoiding whenever possible over the last few months. It occurred to me when Mass was over, after the liturgical abuses I had noticed this time around, that I really was at Calvary again in a more real way than normal. Though, rather than actively calling for Our Lord's death, most of the people and the priest seemed indifferent to what the sacrifice actually meant.
The mandatory hello, how are you right after the processional hymn and before Mass "officially" starts I find disrupts the start of Mass from being something prayerful to being something focussed on the community.
The encouragement for the congregation to say "Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever." That is the Priest's part alone.
For the first time yesterday, I noticed the Priest purposely left out his part after the Our Father and went onto the part when the congregation responds. There was slight confusion as people weren't ready to say their part until the Priest had said his, but since he lead the words, everyone eventually joined in.
The mandatory hello, how are you right after the processional hymn and before Mass "officially" starts I find disrupts the start of Mass from being something prayerful to being something focussed on the community.
The encouragement for the congregation to say "Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever." That is the Priest's part alone.
For the first time yesterday, I noticed the Priest purposely left out his part after the Our Father and went onto the part when the congregation responds. There was slight confusion as people weren't ready to say their part until the Priest had said his, but since he lead the words, everyone eventually joined in.
Following the Liturgy prescribed by the Church is not only virtuous in obedience it's liberating. Everyone knows what to do and the Priest is free from having to be creative and come up with new innovations all the time. They are all free to focus on prayer and uniting their Sacrifice to Christ's. Plus our pithy innovations are nothing compared to the beauty and richness that the Church has amassed over the millenia.
ReplyDeleteLast time I was at Calvary a Palestinian kid tried to pick my pocket.
ReplyDeleteCould have been worse, Danyl. Could have killed you and divided up your clothes.
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