During daily Mass tonight, I was having my usual trouble of staying focused, staying prayerful, and keeping my continuous belching quiet enough to not disturb anyone. While reverently and piously kneeling during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, I closed my eyes, put my head down, and started thinking about other things.
All of the sudden I felt like an angry parent stood in front of me, grabbed my chin, lifted my head and said, "he said Behold!"
Ah yes, he did say "behold"! Father was elevating the Host and proclaiming, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."
Here I was lost in my thoughts about dinner and doctor's appointments when I was supposed to be beholding!
Ted always says that if we say things the way they actually are, we would understand things much better. Sometimes we get used to the language of the Mass or of some great mystery of the Church and we become numb to it. If it was suddenly re-worded to something a little simpler, we wouldn't miss the point.
If, instead of saying behold as he elevated the Host, Father had shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hey people! Pay attention! Fix your eyes on the Body of Christ! This is a MIRACLE!! He takes away all your sins and makes it possible for you to stay out of hell!" I think we'd listen.
Now, I'm not promoting this sort of outrageous behavior at Mass. It is not supposed to be a theatrical performance and would lose all reverence if it were so. But it's good to think about things from a different angle sometimes. To stop and think about what the words of the Mass really mean, what they're really calling us to.
I wish I could say that for our hour of Adoration after Mass I did nothing but behold the face of Christ in awe. But most of the time was still spent on dinner and doctor's appointments. Baby steps, baby steps.
ooh...I have chills...I want to rush to Adoration in my pjs and BEHOLD Him...love this post!
ReplyDeleteI think it is easy to become routinized at Mass -- yet there are so many reasons to be there in the present and in the Presence. We are, unfortunately, creatures of limited attention, and that at times limits our ability to behold (our loss, really). (It would be kinda cool to hear a priest say what you have suggested -- but I don't think I am going to hear that.)
ReplyDeleteWow, this sure hit home with me! Thank you!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is why the Latin Mass forces me to pay attention not to mention the beautiful translation.... ;)
ReplyDeleteI've had moments like that too.... ;) Always a kick swift in the butt! ;) hahahaha
Beautiful post. Great reminder. Yes, yes, yes, I have often found myself thinking of this or that thing I have to do in Mass (IF related)when I should just be beholding or being GRATEFUL. Plans, plans, plans, I am addicted to plans. And, this is not what I should be doing in Mass though I am so so guilty of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post! I needed to hear it.
This is great! And I can totally relate :)
ReplyDeleteyes. good point. I am going to try and focus better myself!
ReplyDeleteI think that having kids has made paying attention easier - in SOME WAYS! For example, when the host is elevated, bells are rung, when we sing Alleluia and make certain gestures (striking breast, crossing ourselves) we make a point of showing our kids what we're doing, pointing out Jesus, explaining what's happening. This helps us to remember that "we kneel because Jesus is RIGHT THERE!"
ReplyDeleteBut then, of course, there's all the times that we're paying more attention to our kids than anything/one else. In those instances I just pray an "I'm sorry" to God. :/
Great post! I think that so many of us are guilty of this, and it is easy to do when we hear the same words week after week and day after day. I think that as humans our minds are inevitably going to wanter sometimes, but the difference between holiness and sinfulness is the effort that we make to pull our minds back into focus. As we struggle to keep ourselves on task we are growing in holiness, and it will only get easier with practice.
ReplyDeleteHowever, taking a two year old and an 11 month old to mass gives new meaning to staying focused at Mass... I treasure the few times here and there when I get to go child free and truly focus.
We heard a wonderful lecture at the AAFCP meeting this year- a woman (who teaches Billings- the horror! Lol, jk!) spoke about "Smart Martha." Remember Mary and Martha? And how when MOST women hear that story, they always wonder, "Why didn't Jesus defend Martha? Why did He allow Mary to just sit there doing NOTHING to help her sister get the house ready for such an important guest??!" (My mother truly dislikes this reading for that reason!)
ReplyDeleteBasically, we are all called, by Jesus Himself, to be more like Mary. To FIND Jesus and BE WITH Jesus in the moment, and not to worry ourselves with the little details of life. But in order for us to do this and still be a good wife, mother, housekeeper, host, etc. this day in age, we need to combine the Martha and Mary to become: Smart Martha. Smart Martha is someone who gets the daily jobs done, but does them with Jesus at her side. It's not enough to say, "Well, I'll do dishes, I'll do laundry, mop the floors, and then I'll have an hour to go spend with Jesus at Eucharistic Adoration." Nope. Jesus doesn't want an hour of our time. He wants it all. We need to FIND JESUS in the dishes. Find Him in the laundry.
It really was a thought-provoking lecture and it helped me to see the beauty of that Gospel reading where before it only baffled me :)
PS, Behold the Lamb of God was the Communion song at our wedding :) I LOVE that song.
Thank you...that was a good slap in the face. I needed that! Our school priest in mass the other day spoke out to the children and told them that if he walked down the isle and didn't hear their voices singing, that he would start mass over again. Then when he couldn't hear them responding, he kept repeating till he could hear that. IT WAS GREAT! It totally got their attention.
ReplyDeleteTCIE..I loved that lecture! So true!
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing meditation. Thank you.
ReplyDelete