The Mass

Today our family got up for early Mass again. No big enthusiasm on our part. We won't admit it but we were all probably looking forward to going back to sleep when we got home.

What we didn't expect was to hear the homily given by a visiting priest today. Father looks like a kindly priest, whose age is hard to gauge. Although I don't recall the beginning of his homily, I do remember listening a little closer when he started talking about how we don't appreciate the Eucharist or the celebration of Mass like we should. He started talking about some people who went to Saturday evening Mass just to get it over with. He also mentioned those of us who come to Mass late or leave early just to beat the parking crowd.

The Saturday evening mass reference made me squirm in my seat. There have been many times when we did just that.

He went on about how we just don't make time for Christ. That some of us will attend Mass if it fits into our schedule.

Listening to Father really made me ashamed of myself. Oh no, we are never late for mass nor do we leave early but do we...rather, do I really appreciate what the Mass is? Probably not. If I did, I would look forward to it with all my heart and soul. Instead I find myself yawning or thinking about what to make for dinner.

Thankfully, I do realize the sacredness of the Consecration so I do pay full attention then.

Anyway, Father finished the homily by telling us a little story of a Maryknoll priest who had to travel two days by mule with a companion, in order to get to a little town in Mexico. When they arrived they found a little house with swept floors and nothing else. The floors had been swept clean by the villagers in preparation of their arrival.

They were greeted enthusiastically by all the people of the village. And one of them told the priest that their prayers had been answered with his arrival. The priest asked him how many months they had prayed for a priest to be send to their village. "Months Father?" responded one of them. "We have been praying for thirty years!".

Father went on to tell us how reverently these humble people attended Mass with such love and awe.

One day the priest found a list of women's names on a paper on the church door. One of the women explained to him that all the women had signed up for turns to keep our Lord company in adoration. They would never let Him be alone. They would do this in so that they would not ever lose the gift of having a priest there.

That is faith!