I was away from home at the weekend, and had the opportunity to attend Mass in circumstances where "say the black, do the red" is kind of taken for granted, with no big fuss being created about it. This proved an amazing treat on Sunday morning. My usual tendency to liturgical irritation was completely absent, leaving room for the words of the Liturgy itself to speak, and to speak with some force.
The juxtaposition of the reading of the calling of Samuel in the Temple with that of the calling of the first Apostles is really quite powerful. The few moments of silence after the homily - which I so often experience as a complete irritation - was actually quite fruitful as a time of reflection and prayer. And I also found I listened to the words of the Preface and Eucharistic Prayer with an enhanced level of attention.
Dare I say that I was able to "participate" much better than is often the case at Sunday Mass?
3 comments:
Dare I say that I was able to "particpate" much better than is often the case at Sunday Mass?
That's very brave. ;)
Aren't we supposed to be unable to participate if our priest doesn't reach out to us personally by adapting the liturgy?
The worst phrase in Sacrosanctum Concilium, penned by who knows which too clever prelate or other cleric, is participatio actuosa. And the nomination for Worst Translator goes to whoever put that into English as 'active participation'.
I am getting used to my new parish, where I attend the usus antiquior Mass on Sundays, and I've found it to be so happily, spiritually better than my former parish (where there are pleasant and well-meaning clerics and people--no desire to suggest that that isn't the case but...).
--Marc
Doctor Sententiarum:
Thank you for your comment.
The celebration I attended, and referred to in my post, was in the ordinary form.
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