Yesterday, a coworker talked about the Funeral Mass she attended the day before for a neighbor. This was the first time she had ever been in a Catholic Church. She said (chuckling as she said it) that as they were leaving, her husband looked at her and said, "And that is why we're Southern Baptist". I looked at her & said, "What did he mean by that? I don't understand." Then she started back-pedaling and said that he thinks church is being yelled at by the preacher. I was so hurt & offended that I didn't know what to say.
I did tell her that if you didn't know what was going on during the Mass, I could see how it could be confusing. I also told her that every single part of the of the Mass comes right out of scripture and the Bible. Another co-worker grew up Catholic but does not attend Mass; she piped in and said that she feels more at home going to Mass than she does in a Protestant service.
I went on to tell her that the wonderful thing about Mass is that I can attend anywhere in the world and know what's going on, because it's the same anywhere you go. I referenced when I was in Denmark a couple of years ago: Once I knew where in the Mass we were, I followed along without any trouble, even though I don't understand Danish.
My co-worker used the words "intense"...but she also used the word "creepy". Even though I've lived in the South my entire life, it still puzzles me that people can be ignorant and intolerable of others' religion...not just Catholicism.
I ran across this quote this morning in an article on Catholic365.com and thought it was perfect:
The truth is like a lion. You don't have to defend it, let it loose, and it will defend itself."
-St. Augustine of Hippo
Sixth Sunday of Easter
This Sunday, being Mother's Day, the Homily was all about love. Father spoke of Woodstock (!); a time when we all about love and were excited about love. Somehow, we have lost sight of that love. God calls us to love one another, even when it is difficult, and even when the receiving person doesn't want it. It was at this point he brought in Mother's Day. How many of us who are parents can identify with the receiving person not wanting our love? (Think about those teenage years with our kids...or even with us.)
What do we have to give Jesus? We have nothing but our love. We will receive abundance in return, but all He asks is that we give Him our love.
This was the first Mother's Day without my mother, who passed away very unexpectedly last July. We never placed that much emphasis on that day; I told my father that every day was Mother's Day. That didn't keep me from getting teary-eyed at the end of the Homily. Father said that he enjoys seeing the crowd on Mother's Day, because that's the day that mothers can guilt their children into coming to Mass with her. At the end of the Homily, he referenced it again, and asked everyone to pray for those of us who would give nothing more than to be sitting next to our moms in the pew.
I can honestly say that I gave my mother all of my love, and received an abundance in return. Father said that "love is when you don't get anything in return", but I would have to disagree with him on this point. I don't think it's when you don't get anything in return, but rather, when you don't expect anything in return.
What do we have to give Jesus? We have nothing but our love. We will receive abundance in return, but all He asks is that we give Him our love.
This was the first Mother's Day without my mother, who passed away very unexpectedly last July. We never placed that much emphasis on that day; I told my father that every day was Mother's Day. That didn't keep me from getting teary-eyed at the end of the Homily. Father said that he enjoys seeing the crowd on Mother's Day, because that's the day that mothers can guilt their children into coming to Mass with her. At the end of the Homily, he referenced it again, and asked everyone to pray for those of us who would give nothing more than to be sitting next to our moms in the pew.
I can honestly say that I gave my mother all of my love, and received an abundance in return. Father said that "love is when you don't get anything in return", but I would have to disagree with him on this point. I don't think it's when you don't get anything in return, but rather, when you don't expect anything in return.
For it is in giving that we receive. (Prayer of St. Francis)
The Maker
As I was driving to work this morning, I had to stop on the side of the road and take a picture of the view:
As I pulled back onto the road, this song came on the radio:
Perfect start to the day! I floated the rest of the way to work!
Fifth Sunday of Easter
I skipped last week's post. I went to Mass, but I just didn't get around to writing last week's post. It happens. LIFE happens. I'm back at it this week, though!
I had a hard time keeping my focus during last night's Homily. I play my flute during Mass, and I really flubbed up the Gloria. It's in a style that I've never been comfortable playing, so I practiced it all week and ended up psyching myself out. Anyway, that's my excuse for not being able to focus on what Father was saying!
He began the Homily by saying that we all make mistakes. (Thank you, Father, for starting out like that!)
His main message (or what I understood to be his main message) is that God puts us where he wants us to be...it's up to us to follow through with that. If we choose not to, He will still be there for us and will guide us back.
After Mass, I talked to a friend who will change jobs next year. She said she really prayed about it, and felt bad about leaving her current position. She said the Homily really spoke to her and couldn't have been more perfect.
I truly believe what Father said: God puts us where we're supposed to be. It may not be where we want to be or think we should be, but we do have to put it in the Lord's hands.
Did the Homily or your service speak to you?
04/19/2015: Third Sunday of Easter
This Sunday just happened to also be First Communion in my Parish. It is so sweet to see the little girls in their white dresses, and the little boys in their ties. I happened to look at the 2 groups during the Mass right around the Homily. The girls were listening intently; the boys were a little fidgety! It just made me smile.
I remember my First Communion, being so excited to finally get to walk up to the altar and receive the Eucharist. I had a brief thought that the Mass probably felt like an eternity to those children.
I play the flute with the Contemporary Choir, so we walk in to the Sanctuary just a couple of minutes prior to the beginning of Mass. When we walked in, I was a bit taken aback at how noisy it was. There is usually a Rosary said prior to Mass, so I'm not sure if there was one today, or if it was finished and then people started visiting.
Father tied in the Homily with First Communion, reminding the children that Jesus is present to us every time we go to Mass. He called them to take Him with them every time they walked out of the Church.
I am very humbled every time I have the pleasure of playing for Mass. Especially today. Our director was not at that Mass today, so it was only the guitars and myself as the instrumentalists. We played the Introduction for the Communion Song, and toward the end I thought, "Wow; this sounds really beautiful"...and then Father started talking, asking the congregation to allow the 1st Communicants to receive the Eucharist first. I had no idea what to do. The "lead guitarist" stopped for a second, and I lost my place. I waited until I could find a spot to jump back in, and then started playing. Very humbling, indeed.
What did you bring away from the Homily (or Mass) or your service this week?
I remember my First Communion, being so excited to finally get to walk up to the altar and receive the Eucharist. I had a brief thought that the Mass probably felt like an eternity to those children.
I play the flute with the Contemporary Choir, so we walk in to the Sanctuary just a couple of minutes prior to the beginning of Mass. When we walked in, I was a bit taken aback at how noisy it was. There is usually a Rosary said prior to Mass, so I'm not sure if there was one today, or if it was finished and then people started visiting.
Father tied in the Homily with First Communion, reminding the children that Jesus is present to us every time we go to Mass. He called them to take Him with them every time they walked out of the Church.
I am very humbled every time I have the pleasure of playing for Mass. Especially today. Our director was not at that Mass today, so it was only the guitars and myself as the instrumentalists. We played the Introduction for the Communion Song, and toward the end I thought, "Wow; this sounds really beautiful"...and then Father started talking, asking the congregation to allow the 1st Communicants to receive the Eucharist first. I had no idea what to do. The "lead guitarist" stopped for a second, and I lost my place. I waited until I could find a spot to jump back in, and then started playing. Very humbling, indeed.
What did you bring away from the Homily (or Mass) or your service this week?
Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter)
This week's Homily didn't "grab" me like other weeks' have. Father talked of his grandmother who lived in a house that had latched doors. He said that every time he was leave her, she told him that she would leave the string over the door. He explained that when they expected someone to come in late, after they had already gone to bed, the person coming in would pull the string to open the latch so they could go in the house.
Where I thought he was going with this story: God always keeps the string over the door for us. Even when we stray from our faith, that string is there; we only have to pull on it and the door will open.
Where he actually went with the story: The string wasn't over the door when the disciples and Jesus' other followers were in the locked room following his death. They were scared and in hiding. He asked us to close our eyes and imagine that we are in that room, and to imagine that we are the ones who are to keep the children occupied...and quiet. I could feel a portion of the tenseness that those followers had to have felt, especially when there was a familiar knock on the door.
He asked us how we find mercy when our world has been upended. To find mercy, we have to extend mercy. And, to do that, we have to hand every aspect of our life over to Jesus.
Easter
What a weekend! The Triduum kicked things off. I wasn't planning on attending the Easter Vigil, but ended up going. I went to early Mass on Sunday since I was playing, and then went to the late Mass so I could sit with my husband. 3 different Masses, 3 different Priests, 3 different Homilies. Surely there's a bonus in there somewhere for me!
The Easter Vigil was beautiful. We walked in to an unlit Church, went outside for the lighting of the Easter Candle, and then processed back in by candle light. When the lights came on during the Gloria, the anticipation was over. What a spiritual experience! The lights, the music, the bells...just incredible.
My Parish had 17 people come into full Communion; 2 were baptized. It really was amazing: young, old, different races. We truly are a catholic (with a lowercase "c") church!
The priest for Saturday night reiterated what Pope Francis said last week: We can't turn our back on the persecution that is going on in other parts of the world. This tied in to the early Mass' Homily: we are called to be witnesses to our faith. That in turn, tied in to the question from the Homily that I heard 2 weeks ago: If being a Christian was a crime, would there be enough evidence to persecute me?
The Homily at the late Mass was a little different. Father said as he walked outside, he thought, "What a perfect Easter morning!" He said he went on to think about what that 1st Easter morning was like. Did Jesus, after he rose, wonder (in his human state): What in the world is going on? I thought I was dead! But, in his divine state, he might have nodded his head and said He knew His Father's plan.
I always look forward to the weeks after Easter: Jesus appearing to the disciples and their reactions.
What grabbed your attention during the Easter Mass?
The Easter Vigil was beautiful. We walked in to an unlit Church, went outside for the lighting of the Easter Candle, and then processed back in by candle light. When the lights came on during the Gloria, the anticipation was over. What a spiritual experience! The lights, the music, the bells...just incredible.
My Parish had 17 people come into full Communion; 2 were baptized. It really was amazing: young, old, different races. We truly are a catholic (with a lowercase "c") church!
The priest for Saturday night reiterated what Pope Francis said last week: We can't turn our back on the persecution that is going on in other parts of the world. This tied in to the early Mass' Homily: we are called to be witnesses to our faith. That in turn, tied in to the question from the Homily that I heard 2 weeks ago: If being a Christian was a crime, would there be enough evidence to persecute me?
The Homily at the late Mass was a little different. Father said as he walked outside, he thought, "What a perfect Easter morning!" He said he went on to think about what that 1st Easter morning was like. Did Jesus, after he rose, wonder (in his human state): What in the world is going on? I thought I was dead! But, in his divine state, he might have nodded his head and said He knew His Father's plan.
I always look forward to the weeks after Easter: Jesus appearing to the disciples and their reactions.
What grabbed your attention during the Easter Mass?
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