So here I am a few minutes after returning from Mass this morning at St. John The Apostle Cathlolic Church.
I am wondering a few things...
First-who else went to Mass this morning?
B-what did you get from Mass?
Lastly, do you capitalize the M in Mass on a blog?
So for those of you that know me-and who else is on this blog-you can see that I will probably take a humorous approach to what I post. I also want to start an adult dialogue about Mass and the message.
I have debated about starting this blog for quite some time now, so here goes.
The priest at SJ focused the homily on the message to be drawn from the "whole city" coming to the house where Simon's mother-in-law was cured. (Insert your own in-law joke here, just think of what she was saying about Simon's friend who was coming over to "cure" her...but I digress). Why were all the people of the city there? Was it simply because they heard some guy cured some old lady? Or was it because they had selfish needs to be cured? Or was it just to be in the presence of Greatness?
The real question becomes-why are we going to the house? Are we? Should we? What do we hope we gain from going to the house (Mass)?
I am not sure how this will go over-but I hope that those of you that read it will please respond with posts of your own...this is not a monologue-or I don't want it to be, so please say what you think.
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First of all, the M is capitalized.
ReplyDeleteThe people were there for the same reasons we are there. They need to, they have to, they want to, or they think they have to. Do you want to be in the presence of Greatness? Always. But sometimes I need to be in the presence of silence-inward silence. Sometimes I need to know that I at least got one thing done that I should be doing. Sometimes I go for one reason, and come away having fulfilled a different one. What is more important: why you go or just going?
Father Pat talked about how some inner reflection on how we lived our lives before the recession may end up doing a lot of us some good. Due to the financila difficulty many of us are facing we find happiness in our relationships and other things that we may have taken for granted while we were pursuing material things. Thought it was good. as for your comments the people go because they heard everybody else was going and didn't want to be the only ones not going. As for Steph just going is more important because a lot of times you won't find out why you went until you were there or even after you went.
ReplyDeleteDo you need a purpose for going?
ReplyDeleteJust going can't be more important-McKenna just goes...
Do we really live our lives so that we are not the "only ones that didn't go?"
To me this makes me think about prayer...what is a good prayer? How do we teach others to pray well? How do we teach ourselves?
Is it important to pray-or pray well? I ask because I don't think I am a particularly good prayor (sp)...so how do I get better?
BTW Steph-I did pray the rosary the other day when I was stuck in traffic--finished it and then was stuck in more traffic. No I didn't say another rosary, I cussed the guy in front of me and the wreck that caused the traffic.
McKenna doesn't just go. You take her so she will be familiar,etc and have that sense of church family/familiarity. She doesn't "just eat" either. You feed her to give her nourishment and sustenance. Its all about the big picture. Alot of people live their lives so that they "are not the only ones..." ie, the financial collapse we're witnessing.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes good prayer? What makes good conversation? Expressing yourself honestly and sincerely, being quiet and listening to the others' response. How do you teach a toddler to talk? Words, phrases, and then sentences. God's not waiting for a soliloquy, just thoughts and feeling. You don't even have to say it aloud. Just think it, reflect on it. Pick a topic and just reflect. Start with things your thankful for, or things you need help understanding. Or recite known prayers. The comfort of knowing what to say can open your heart/mind to improvise on your thoughts.
This is my test to see if I know what I'm doing. But, yes, we (Malcolm, Carrie, Kyle and myself) did go.
ReplyDeleteWe go for all those reasons previously mentioned:
ReplyDeleteFirst, as God’s creatures, we owe Him homage and praise, as well as obedience. He tells us to keep His Sabbath holy. For some religions, that means a 24-hour period of focusing on God. The Muslims stop 3 times a day - every day - to give praise. Giving God back 1 hour out of 168 per week seems like a pretty paltry offering comparatively. Msgr. Higgins once said every good Catholic (he was addressing a group of Catholics) should go to Mass at least twice a week - once because they have to and once because they want to.
Our Mass certainly satisfies the “holy” requirement since it is the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. It also contains the 4 types of prayer - adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, and supplication. It is the perfect prayer which is really good for those of us who aren’t very good “pray-ers”.
It is also an opportunity to encounter Christ on a very personal level when we receive Him in the Eucharist. You can certainly pray anywhere but with the Mass, you have the Eucharist. He said He would be with us always and that He wouldn’t abandon us. With all the chaos, pain, suffering, evil, etc. that drains us on a daily basis, I really rely on that promise. Going to Mass is good R&R because I know I can leave my cares at the altar and He will help me resolve (or accept) them.
We’re all supposed to be prophets and work to build up God’s kingdom. When we attend Mass, we set the example for others and help to establish community. Christ also said, “where two or more are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them…” An added bonus for those of use who are not such good pray-ers is to have Christ praying to the Father with us. How can you go wrong with that kind of help.