Weekend Mass From One Priest's Viewpoint
Let me share with you what I (and probably other priests) see from my side of the altar during a weekend Mass. When processing down the aisle at the beginning and end of Mass, I hear the most singing in the front one-third of the church – even when we sing traditional songs like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” or “Now Thank We all Our God.” Everyone should know them.
I see many people never reciting the “Profession of Faith,” although it’s now in English! If you are with your children, what is the unspoken message you are communicating to them? Responses to the priest’s prayers are often inaudible – e.g. the “Amen” even though we all know when the “Amen” occurs. The Hebrew word “Amen” means “I want what you just prayed for” – a very important response from the assembly. Sometimes I think I’m the only one in Church when the entire assembly responds “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” The most audible moment is when everyone prays the Lord’s Prayer.
I see many who do not sing – even the well-known songs. Did someone during our young lives tell us that we have lousy singing voices – or perhaps we were stared down by our fellow worshipers? This did not encourage us to sing. The late Father Bill Deering, who was Director of Worship in our diocese for many years, always said, “If you have a voice like a canary or a crow, sing anyway; make God listen to you!” (There will always be someone present with the voice of Pavarotti covering up our voices!) By joining our voices together in song, we blend into a worshipping community Singing is also an act of giving ourselves in service to the entire community.
How many of us go to a sporting event because “we have to?” Sometimes we may think it’s “our duty” to be there to support children and grandchildren. Usually, however, we want to be at a ballgame – the fans always roar in active participation to cheer on our team. Our collective cheering, singing and yelling at a ball game unites fans and encourages our team to do its best. Sometimes I would like to make two videos –one scanning the crowds at one of our sporting events the other of everyone worshipping Almighty God at weekend Mass!
We may be shocked to see that sporting competition has become the God we worship. We need to apply the same principles to both experiences. Our active participation in the Mass unites us more closely together as God’s people and encourages everyone in our commitment to God.
Seventy-one percent of former Catholics who have joined a Protestant Church say their main reason for leaving is that their spiritual needs were never met within the Catholic Church. Weekend worship is the primary place where the majority of Catholics gather. Therefore, the Mass must be the primary place where our spiritual needs are met by the worship of everyone present. People who find enthusiastic worship keep coming back. If they have just relocated to our communities, many decide to join our parishes because our worship touches their hearts.
If you or I were God, how would we judge our worship? Is God pleased with our level of participation and the spirit of our worship? Is our participation truly a worthy expression of our love for and gratitude to God? Or would God declare, “Those people’s hearts are far from me. They seem to have forgotten that they are gathering to worship me, who gives us all things in Jesus.”
Father Sauer continues his series on the Mass in the March 18 issue of The Message.
