At Holy Thursday mass, I saw a dad, and from what I know a good and faithful dad, sitting, hunched over in his chair with his hands around his face. With his kids sitting around him, he looked like he was in the last place in the world he wanted to be. It upset me and made me wonder what kind of message he was sending to his kids simply by the position his body was in. Looking at him made me almost automatically sit up straighter in my chair as prayers were being read.
People are funny. At my current church, an unfortunate product of the 80's, it's very easy to people watch with its semicircular layout. I close my eyes a great deal more during mass at this church simply for that reason. I can look across the room right at the faces of others who are hopefully praying and participating in the mass with me. We also do not have kneelers which is very frustrating and was extremely disappointing during the Triduum services.
As the months role by I understand more and more how important the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is to myself and many others. I pray that more people can also come to this understanding and behave and act as respectfully as they can at any celebration of the mass. How we enter, sit, stand, pray, receive Christ and then leave are crucially important.
Here's to remembering that the mass is not about us, it's about God and His unending love.
Peace all
