You may or may not know that there are times that I don't give the same homily at all three weekend Masses for a variety of reasons (that I will not go into in this pastor's column). Such was the case last weekend as the homily at the two Sunday morning Masses were very different than the one given on Saturday evening. For the sake of last Sunday morning Mass, participants (and as a refresher to those who went to the Saturday evening Mass, though in summary), I would like to share some of the main points of a homily in which I talked about how important (and challenging it might be for all of us) when it comes to our demeanor before, during, and after Mass.
Firstly, just as it is important for us to maintain silence (or at most a few whispered words) in the body of the church before Mass begins, it is also appropriate to maintain a reverent silence AFTER Mass until one gets to the Narthex or outside of the building. To do so shows reverence for the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle which sets us apart from many of the Protestant congregations who speak to each other freely in the body of the church both before and after the worship service. Keeping quiet in church also gives those who come early or stay after Mass to pray, respect for them and the ability to concentrate on their prayers without distracting voices. I hope to be an example of such reverent silence before and after Mass to encourage such behavior in all of us. Please don't hesitate (in a kind way) to remind me of this if I falter.
Secondly, I will start being more deliberate and thoughtful when I pray the prayers of Mass and I ask those in the congregations to do the same especially those rote prayers that are prayed at every Mass. Remember, most of what we are saying or singing is addressed to God and needs to not be rushed and spoken or sung with meaning lest we just mouth the words!
Thirdly, I promised to do my best to end my homilies (or the concluding prayer of the Prayer of the Faithful) by speaking about Jesus in the Eucharist who will soon be coming to us in the most personal way as our very bodies become tabernacles of his presence!!
Finally, I reminded everyone at the 5:00 p.m. Mass of the reverent habit of bowing one's head when one nears the person who will be placing the Eucharist on the recipient's tongue or hand (that is cupped with the other hand directly underneath the cupped one). This will require the minister of Communion (including at every Mass, me) pausing before saying "the Body of Christ" so the communicant can bow and then look up to say "Amen" after the words of the priest, deacon or Extraordinary Minister of Communion are said. This will mean that "Communion Time" will be seen as a blessing for the whole congregation! Just as it is true "that old habits are hard to break," it is just as true that new habits can be difficult to get going. I pray we all will take these practices to heart and make everyone's experience in coming to and being at church for Mass (and after Mass) a meaningful encounter with the Lord in the ways he graciously (and miracously) comes to us!!!
I think firstly of Bishop Andrew J. McDonald of the Diocese of Little Rock (of happy memory) who started our diocesan respect life office early in his time as our bishop and Anne Dierks of our parish who was not only the first director of that office, but who was key in starting the "Arkansas Right to Life" ecumenical effort to promote and protect all human life from the moment of conception and encourage voters to vote for anti-abortion candidates and lobby elected officials to pass laws that would protect babies from being killed while in their mother's wombs. I can recall many years that Bishop McDonald led the annual March for Life in January to the state capitol (a march sponsored by Arkansas Right to Life) and thousands of Catholics and people from other faith traditions braving all kinds of winter weather conditions to participate in the march and hear, over the years, a growing chorus of speakers and elected officials urging us to keep up the support and prayers that someday Roe v Wade would be overturned and laws take effect to protect the live babies in their mothers' wombs. At times some got discouraged and some backed off on the efforts to influence our lawmakers and all people to end the destruction of so many innocent lives that have not been given the opportunity to live in this world and hopefully come to know and serve the Lord. Many, however, across the country and IN OUR STATE, and in our parish stayed the course, continued to pray and act and support pregnancy help centers and have every reason now (as do we all) to thank God for the fruits of patience, perserverence and laws (like in Arkansas) that reflect belief that every human person is knit in their mother's womb by God (Ps 139:13-14).
Let us pray that efforts will continue to change hearts to love and reverence every child inside and outside of its mother's womb and even more efforts and resources be raised and used to support women who find out they are pregnant to bring their children into the world and NOT go out of our state to procure an abortion! Please pray as well that more doctors and other medical people will be true to their oath to save life and not do anything that is disrespectful or harmful to anyone's life!!
I feel confident in saying that most of us grew up being taught by nuns and/or parents, that such a reverent silence not only allows the space to prepare ourselves for Mass, but that such a silence should ALWAYS be observed out of respect for Jesus present in the tabernacle before, during, and after Mass. Such silence or maybe a softer term is quiet, also allows the person who chooses to stay after Mass in personal prayer to not have the distraction of hearing people talking. This week's bulletin contains the "Padre Pio Prayer After Communion" which I hope you will cut out and use either in church after you have received Holy Communion during and/or after Mass in church or in the adoration chapel, or at home when you return from celebrating the Eucharist.
Two more things I want to address, in following up on what the bishop recommended, is the respect and reverence that is due to the Eucharistic Lord after one has received Holy Communion. This happens when we stand, kneel or sit and speak to the Lord and listen to him who has graciously and lovingly come into our bodies through Holy Communion. This means staying until the Prayer after Communion, the blessing and the dismissal (and hopefully through the singing of the recessional hymn). In my mind, the only exception to this is a person who's health condition is such that they need to leave Mass earlier than the dismissal for health reasons. What a blessing it would be if we had the same number of people who are leaving church soon after receiving Holy Communion (which I believe is a serious sin of disrespect to Jesus), staying after the Mass has ended for precious time and prayer with Jesus.
I said earlier that there were two more things that I wanted to bring up about our disposition in church when we come to Mass, but I think I'll save it and other reflections for another pastor's column. I pray you strongly consider what has been presented in this column and seek to make your experience in coming to Mass more fruitful while you are there and a blessing throughout the week ahead.