Amazing Homily Tonight

[BG45]

Tonight I was at the vigil Mass and we celebrated the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. When it came time for the homily, Father W. just stood there for a second and went, "Do you really think about what you're doing when you cross yourself and say a quick little 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen?'. Because really, a lot of times I notice that a lot of people, myself included sometimes, look more like they're trying to brush away a fly than acting out of prayer and respect."

You could've heard a pin drop in that room. He spent the next fifteen or so minutes giving a catechesis on the sign of the cross and its deeper meaning. I've not heard anyone go at such length about since RCIA, where they drilled it into our heads. He really pushed how signing ourselves with the cross should not be an empty ritual, not something we just do automatically without really giving it a thought. That it wasn't our fault if we didn't think about it, because when humans get comfortable doing something over and over again, we tend to do that. That it was important to be in love with Christ's church and with the liturgy, even to things that we may dismiss at first, like signing ourselves as we do multiple times each Mass.

It was one of the few times in a Mass I've ever not heard a rustling of people aside from those taking their kids to the cry room. Normally Father W's homilies are a bit on the feel good side, or the serving others note...and when he does approach the meatier stuff it's usually the Eucharist or Confession. It blew almost everyone out of the water, and I think forced each of us to actually reflect on the act of signing ourselves with the cross.

[Lil Red]

awe[i][/i]some!!

[MissyP89]

[quote]"Do you really think about what you're doing when you cross yourself and say a quick little 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen?'. Because really, a lot of times I notice that a lot of people, myself included sometimes, look more like they're trying to brush away a fly than acting out of prayer and respect."[/quote]

Uh...was he copying Fr. L's notes? Near verbatim, I swear. God bless good priests!

[Luigi]

"He really pushed how signing ourselves with the cross should not be an empty ritual, not something we just do automatically without really giving it a thought. That it wasn't our fault if we didn't think about it, because when humans get comfortable doing something over and over again, we tend to do that."

He's talking about ritualization. The most important parts of Mass - or any apsect of religion - are the ones we repeat most frequently... [i]because[/i] they're the most important. But in the repetition, they tend to lose their meaning.

It's the same thing that happens to married couples who kiss each other goodbye in the morning and hello in the evening - pretty frequently it gets reduced to just a peck on the cheek, a ritualized kiss rather than a fully meant expression of love (which in no way implies that the married couples don't love each other fully).

Lots of folks will argue ad nauseum and then ad infinitum about appropriate music, instrumentation, to stand or kneel, to receive in the hand or on the tongue, screaming children remaining in Mass or not, hand movements during prayer, and anything else you care to mention. To me, it all comes down to mindfulness - what helps me pay attention, to mean the prayers I'm saying, to realize what I'm doing when I make the sign of the cross, to remember the significance of communion, to be aware of each part of the ritual? The same thing happens to me when I pray the rosary - because of the repetition of the prayers, my mind sometimes starts to wander, and I wind up [i]reciting[/i] the prayers, but not really praying them. I've had to work with myself pretty seriously to get past that tendency.

I think a lot of the changes brought about by Vatican II - whether put forward by the Council or enacted by local churches in their own way - were an effort to shake the faithful into mindfulness, to remind them of the symbolism, to get them past that "do[ing] it automatically without really giving it a thought" ritualization. I think that's what the documents are getting at when they mention "full participation" - not so much active doing, as active mindfulness brought about by speaking and/or singing their parts. I'm not saying it worked, because those changes got ritualized, too.

I notice a lot of the people who post some of the hot topics - especially veils, standing or kneeling, communion in the hand or on the tongue, and music - specifically mention that one way or another helps them remember, realize, be aware, know, and so forth. In other words, it improves their mindfulness and makes the action more meaningful.

Father W. probably explained it more clearly & more succinctly, though.

[BG45]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1308457125' post='2255849']
awe[i][/i]some!!
[/quote]

I see how you got past Mr. Fi[i][/i]lter! And it so was! I wanted to clap by the end, but of course didn't, being Mass and all.
[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1308458034' post='2255851']
Uh...was he copying Fr. L's notes? Near verbatim, I swear. God bless good priests!
[/quote]

I could ask him if he has a SoJo pen pal? But amen, God bless good priests indeed. I was blown away that Fr. W. would spend the time to actually catechize on something most people probably forgot from CCD, but was grateful because it really glorified the Trinity to remind everyone!

[BG45]

Luigi, wow you put a lot of thought into that post! And posted it right as I was multi-quote replying there. He actually only focused on the mindfulness in ritual and the meaning of the signing of the cross and its importance.

Though I've heard the argument you've made about Vatican II before and the mindfulness. I've got the same problem with the Rosary to be frank, and I think that's one of the reasons I favor the Divine Mercy Chaplet; it's so much more succinct in some ways, and it touches something in me that the Rosary rarely does. I can actually pray the DMC, and have been on a daily basis since a family member was told she was dying, and did before that every week prior to Mass.

I love your example of that goodbye kiss becoming something less important as time goes on and the mindfulness behind it is lost. I think it's a perfect example to go along with the love of God, and how sometimes we just go "meh, thanks God" to Him.

[MissyP89]

[quote="Luigi"][b]Luigi:[/b] Lots of folks will argue ad nauseum and then ad infinitum about appropriate music, instrumentation, to stand or kneel, to receive in the hand or on the tongue, screaming children remaining in Mass or not, hand movements during prayer, and anything else you care to mention. [b]To me, it all comes down to mindfulness...[/b][/quote]

This may be the best thing I've seen on here in years. So often, we get comfortable and complacent when things are going well, and we lose our zeal. At the same time, when things are [i]bad[/i], I find people have the tendency to become so wrapped up in everything weighing down on them that they couldn't actively participate even if they wanted to. (I only say so because I've been there, and presently still am.)

Though, as you said, it can be an instant breath of fresh air if, while at Mass, I really think about what's going on liturgically. "Lift up your hearts -- we lift them up to the Lord"; OK, all of my issues are to be left behind for the next few minutes. My heart is in Him and that's the only thing that matters. And so on.

Put simply, I agree with everything you just said. Lol!

Off topic:

[quote="BG45"][b]BG45[/b]: I could ask him if he has a SoJo pen pal?[/quote]

Pffffffffffffttttt. I don't think he has time to [i]breathe[/i] anymore, let alone have a penpal. With the exception of a 2 minute phone call during a family emergency, I haven't spoken to him (sacramentally or otherwise) since January. And we're going to lose him within the next few months.

Edited June 19, 2011 by MissyP89

[BG45]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1308460122' post='2255863']
This may be the best thing I've seen on here in years. So often, we get comfortable and complacent when things are going well, and we lose our zeal. At the same time, when things are [i]bad[/i], I find people have the tendency to become so wrapped up in everything weighing down on them that they couldn't actively participate even if they wanted to. (I only say so because I've been there, and presently still am.)

Though, as you said, it can be an instant breath of fresh air if, while at Mass, I really think about what's going on liturgically. "Lift up your hearts -- we lift them up to the Lord"; OK, all of my issues are to be left behind for the next few minutes. My heart is in Him and that's the only thing that matters. And so on.

Put simply, I agree with everything you just said. Lol!

Off topic:



Pffffffffffffttttt. I don't think he has time to [i]breathe[/i] anymore, let alone have a penpal. With the exception of a 2 minute phone call during a family emergency, I haven't spoken to him (sacramentally or otherwise) since January. And we're going to lose him within the next few months.
[/quote]

Does the Bishop have something against your Confessors? He takes away every single one you get close to...and then leaves you with the one you're not.

And yeah, I think to an extent we all suffer with what Luigi pointed out in regards to the Mass. My biggest distraction is when people turn to glare angrily at kids for crying; I'm used to crying kids, they don't bug me. Christ even said to suffer the children and let the children come unto Him. But when people turn to glare at them angrily...heh. That and "Person X would be complaining about Y that's happening liturgically right now. Why am I giving that time and thought? I should be paying attention."

[MissyP89]

[quote]Does the Bishop have something against your Confessors? He takes away every single one you get close to...and then leaves you with the one you're not.[/quote]

I'm getting by. Desperate people do desperate things, right? Phone calls and visits to campus now and then to visit the chaplain are helping. And on the bright side, Monsignor finally knows my name. Thanks for asking. One of these days, I'll find someone who isn't going to bail. Or move. Or otherwise fall off the face of the earth. I'm cursed...

[BG45]

You're welcome, and you're not cursed! Your just...being given a cross to bear by God in relationship to confessors? At yay Monsignor is no longer calling you Tina then!!

[CatherineM]

Thanks for posting this. It seems like when we discuss homilies around here, it is only the bad ones. I hear great homilies every week, but rarely talk about them.

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='BG45' timestamp='1308456709' post='2255848']
Tonight I was at the vigil Mass and we celebrated the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. When it came time for the homily, Father W. just stood there for a second and went, "Do you really think about what you're doing when you cross yourself and say a quick little 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen?'. Because really, a lot of times I notice that a lot of people, myself included sometimes, look more like they're trying to brush away a fly than acting out of prayer and respect."

You could've heard a pin drop in that room. He spent the next fifteen or so minutes giving a catechesis on the sign of the cross and its deeper meaning. I've not heard anyone go at such length about since RCIA, where they drilled it into our heads. He really pushed how signing ourselves with the cross should not be an empty ritual, not something we just do automatically without really giving it a thought. That it wasn't our fault if we didn't think about it, because when humans get comfortable doing something over and over again, we tend to do that. That it was important to be in love with Christ's church and with the liturgy, even to things that we may dismiss at first, like signing ourselves as we do multiple times each Mass.

It was one of the few times in a Mass I've ever not heard a rustling of people aside from those taking their kids to the cry room. Normally Father W's homilies are a bit on the feel good side, or the serving others note...and when he does approach the meatier stuff it's usually the Eucharist or Confession. It blew almost everyone out of the water, and I think forced each of us to actually reflect on the act of signing ourselves with the cross.
[/quote]
Awe[s][/s]some bro!

[Laudate_Dominum]

Mass today was pretty edifying. I can't even explain why really, just felt spiritually uplifted for the first time in forever. Maybe the feast of the Holy Trinity is my day. lol.

[OnlySunshine]

The priest at Mass today gave a talk on the same subject. I thought it was really beautiful. This is a portion of it:

[quote]Do you know that when you make the Sign of the Cross, God tells you that you are His and He loves you. He created you from dust so that you could share in His company. God did not need us, but He loved us and wanted to show us this love by sending us His only Son to die on the cross so that we would be free from sin and share in His Eternal Kingdom forever.[/quote]

[Debra Little]

[quote name='BG45' timestamp='1308456709' post='2255848']
Tonight I was at the vigil Mass and we celebrated the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. When it came time for the homily, Father W. just stood there for a second and went, "Do you really think about what you're doing when you cross yourself and say a quick little 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen?'. Because really, a lot of times I notice that a lot of people, myself included sometimes, look more like they're trying to brush away a fly than acting out of prayer and respect."

You could've heard a pin drop in that room. He spent the next fifteen or so minutes giving a catechesis on the sign of the cross and its deeper meaning. I've not heard anyone go at such length about since RCIA, where they drilled it into our heads. He really pushed how signing ourselves with the cross should not be an empty ritual, not something we just do automatically without really giving it a thought. That it wasn't our fault if we didn't think about it, because when humans get comfortable doing something over and over again, we tend to do that. That it was important to be in love with Christ's church and with the liturgy, even to things that we may dismiss at first, like signing ourselves as we do multiple times each Mass.

It was one of the few times in a Mass I've ever not heard a rustling of people aside from those taking their kids to the cry room. Normally Father W's homilies are a bit on the feel good side, or the serving others note...and when he does approach the meatier stuff it's usually the Eucharist or Confession. It blew almost everyone out of the water, and I think forced each of us to actually reflect on the act of signing ourselves with the cross.
[/quote]




I catch myself sometimes making the sign of the Cross too quickly. So I stop and think and do it over again more slowly.
I found out it it really helps if I say the words while I am doing it. That forces me to think about what I am doing. When I
converted this became my favorite thing to do.