Monday, August 9, 2010
Padre Pio knew best . . .
“Ahead! Courage! In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still the winds will blow it back.” ~St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Bitterness vs. Spirituality . . .
We have a typical, Novus Ordo parish where a detour from the Rubrics has and does happen. We have the poorly trained Extraordinary Ministers and a couple who just decided they could do it sans training . . . which shows. I'm not always happy with what I see or experience but am usually able to keep my focus on the altar, the priest, and the miracle that God through Jesus Christ has granted us there. The human mistakes are momentary while the Eucharist is for eternity.
It is sad, however, when some of the more orthodox crowd lose sight of the Eucharist in their dismay over Rubrics and voice their bitterness frequently and loudly. It is like the hatred of things not going entirely in line with Rubrics is replacing their chance at experiencing the spirituality of the Mass. Unfortunately, it runs over into their peers and you have to wonder what the long-terms effects will be. Their feeling is that if everything was done exactly right, life would be perfect. Well, Adam and Eve decided the question of perfection and, sometimes, you have to work around the imperfections to find the grace.
I've seen both sides of the liberal/conservative coin. I found it interesting, in my time attending a more conservative parish, that the conservative people couldn't let go of whatever might be happening in more liberal parishes. It is like they were bringing their bitternes into their preferred Mass. Seems to me that if you can't leave the bitterness behind, you are tainting the perfection you are looking for in church.
Now, I prefer the peace of a consevatively celebrated Mass. I didn't find it at the conservative parish. Ultra-conservative people, in my experience, are more judgmental even towards the people trying to worship with them. In fact, the attitude of the conservative parish actually drove one of my children FROM the Faith and left him with . . . bitterness.
I was told, this morning, by a particularly angry woman that she was leaving our more liberal parish to attend the very conservative one full time and I should go, too. I attended that parish for over twelve years. I was only able to leave behind bitterness and find peace by leaving that parish.
Yes, we get peeved at some people's perception of how to participate in the Mass. We have made a name for ourselves by NOT going along with that kind of stuff. The difference is that after Mass at the liberal parish, people come out and are still friends. When we didn't fall in line with the more orthodox parish views, we were often left out.
I have to wonder, however, at how adamant some people have been towards me about their idea that going to a liberal Mass will cost us our spirituality. I think it may be that they might not have the spirituality to go it on their own no matter what Mass they attend. To me, daily Mass is always food for the soul regardless of the problems. The priest celebrates with the correct words, Christ comes down from His Cross into our hearts, and all can be well with the world if you cut the bitterness and invite the spirituality.
I have heard said that the Masses you attend while you are alive speak more in your favor then the ones said for you after you are dead. I'm pretty sure God counts EVERY Mass and doesn't count out any Mass attended with a good attitude. Besides, attending Mass 350-plus times a year vs. the required 52 will be credited at your personal judgment day.
It is sad, however, when some of the more orthodox crowd lose sight of the Eucharist in their dismay over Rubrics and voice their bitterness frequently and loudly. It is like the hatred of things not going entirely in line with Rubrics is replacing their chance at experiencing the spirituality of the Mass. Unfortunately, it runs over into their peers and you have to wonder what the long-terms effects will be. Their feeling is that if everything was done exactly right, life would be perfect. Well, Adam and Eve decided the question of perfection and, sometimes, you have to work around the imperfections to find the grace.
I've seen both sides of the liberal/conservative coin. I found it interesting, in my time attending a more conservative parish, that the conservative people couldn't let go of whatever might be happening in more liberal parishes. It is like they were bringing their bitternes into their preferred Mass. Seems to me that if you can't leave the bitterness behind, you are tainting the perfection you are looking for in church.
Now, I prefer the peace of a consevatively celebrated Mass. I didn't find it at the conservative parish. Ultra-conservative people, in my experience, are more judgmental even towards the people trying to worship with them. In fact, the attitude of the conservative parish actually drove one of my children FROM the Faith and left him with . . . bitterness.
I was told, this morning, by a particularly angry woman that she was leaving our more liberal parish to attend the very conservative one full time and I should go, too. I attended that parish for over twelve years. I was only able to leave behind bitterness and find peace by leaving that parish.
Yes, we get peeved at some people's perception of how to participate in the Mass. We have made a name for ourselves by NOT going along with that kind of stuff. The difference is that after Mass at the liberal parish, people come out and are still friends. When we didn't fall in line with the more orthodox parish views, we were often left out.
I have to wonder, however, at how adamant some people have been towards me about their idea that going to a liberal Mass will cost us our spirituality. I think it may be that they might not have the spirituality to go it on their own no matter what Mass they attend. To me, daily Mass is always food for the soul regardless of the problems. The priest celebrates with the correct words, Christ comes down from His Cross into our hearts, and all can be well with the world if you cut the bitterness and invite the spirituality.
I have heard said that the Masses you attend while you are alive speak more in your favor then the ones said for you after you are dead. I'm pretty sure God counts EVERY Mass and doesn't count out any Mass attended with a good attitude. Besides, attending Mass 350-plus times a year vs. the required 52 will be credited at your personal judgment day.
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