Awful new Communion hymn at Mass this morning

[MarthaMartha]

juno24:

I wish I were kidding. Father took from that Sunday’s readings that we are instructed by Christ to make more time to be with our families, and he went into how that song sums it all up beautifully. The homily was very weak (it seemed to me like he was just looking for a reason to mention his favorite song), but when it started playing during Holy Communion, I literally almost cried. My heart just sank! Needless to say, I will not be visiting that parish again.

I hear you. There’s nothing wrong with using a popular song to drive home a point during a homily, but it has to be done judiciously.

I remember a priest in the parish where I grew up, quoting a popular rock song from the '60s – “No time left for you, on my way to better things” – making the point that people don’t make enough time for the Lord. Fine. Point made, he moved on. Then one of our deacons sang the line “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” mentioning the Staples back-to-school commercial and then going on to make the point that the Advent season was beginning. Again, point made, he moved on. I don’t remember either sermon being weak, and neither Mass was marred by the actual song being sung in its entirety at any time.

I mean, heck, the Harry Chapin tune makes me cry when I hear it on the radio, and heavens yes, families need to spend time together – but if I heard the whole song in the context of the Mass, I’d cry all the way to my next parish.