Funny "Hiccup" at Mass Today

[SMHW]

The point is what’s so funny about that? Are people just looking for something to laugh at at that point in the Mass?

Sometimes humor is a release of tension thing. Maybe that was what happened here? At least at the beginning.

This was a case where someone who gave a first impression of being a strict taskmaster and stickler for protocol was making a mistake that the more informal underlings caught on to first. Is that a bit juvenile? Maybe. But many of us have probably giggled (perhaps covertly) when a feared teacher or boss made a mistake.

And then later when the priest more or less admitted his mistake the laughter would have been out of relief that he was able to acknowledge his humanity.

 

[clem456]

When I saw thread I thought it would be about how to properly handle indigestion at Mass. But no.

I would think audible hiccups are addressed in the rubrics, but since the Church is silent they must be allowed according to the individual conscience.

 

[ProVobis]

Sometimes humor is a release of tension thing. Maybe that was what happened here? At least at the beginning.

Why the tension then? There’s a problem if we seek to find something funny inside a Mass was my point.

Sorry but when the priest forgets his lines, and I’ve been there, I don’t find that amusing at all. What are missals for anyway?

 

[Eichelbaum]

The point is what’s so funny about that? Are people just looking for something to laugh at at that point in the Mass?

I would interpret this more charitably: the people love Father, and they were sharing a very human experience with him … the fact that we can sometimes be in auto-pilot and kind of lose track of what we should be doing. There’s also the amusing feeling of irony in being involved with something as formally precise as a liturgy, but yet be a bit lost because of perfectly human errors.

I certainly would hope no one was laughing at Father.

I also applaud Father for not taking himself very seriously in all of this. Lacking a sense of humor about oneself is hardly a sign of sanctity.

 

[ProVobis]

Lacking a sense of humor about oneself is hardly a sign of sanctity.

I guess that’s one way of rationalizing it.

 

[SMHW]

Why the tension then? There’s a problem if we seek to find something funny inside a Mass was my point.

I doubt anyone was seeking to find humor. As the OP describes it, the people started out thinking this priest had somewhat unreasonable expectations. In other words, they were a bit afraid of him. When he first made a mistake that probably increased everyone’s anxiety for a moment but then they saw the irony of the perfectionist being imperfect. I’m guessing a lot of the early giggling was nervous laughter.

Sorry but when the priest forgets his lines, and I’ve been there, I don’t find that amusing at all. What are missals for anyway?

My guess is that the average person in the pews is unaware of the importance of reading from the missal as opposed to reciting the Mass parts from memory.

 

[Eichelbaum]

I guess that’s one way of rationalizing it.

Actually, I have a bit of a confession: I didn’t read the whole of the OP, and I missed all of the background information that was provided.

Given that context, I do retract my original analysis.

 

[ProVobis]

I doubt anyone was seeking to find humor.

That’s not the impression I get from reading the posts here, although it could just be a slow day. But I’m no psychologist.

 

[clem456]

I doubt anyone was seeking to find humor.

I was. I apologize if I offended.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Well, as a priest I certainly appreciate the humour in it and would have welcomed it. Laughter, after all, is a spontaneous human reaction to a variety of unexpected scenarios.

I remember in my early teaching days being with a friend for the celebration of the triduum during the school’s break and concelebrating the Easter Vigil with him. The moment came for him, as the presider, to solemnly intone the alleluia. He intoned it – but his initial note was too high for where he had to go.

I immediately knew this was not going to work…but we were committed and we all responded to the first alleluia and off we went. Inevitably, he reached the point in the third alleluia where his vocal range would not allow him to continue the upward gradation that he needed to…although he certainly gave it all he had. Of course, everyone at a point had basically stopped singing, except the choir, as this unfolded…and then suddenly crashed.

At the moment his voice completely faltered, the organ fell silent and everyone fell silent…except one quick thinking soprano chorister who took up and finished my friend’s faltered alleluia and then proceeded to answer herself in an improvised solo that took her to that final crescendo of the last alleluia, which she sang a cappella. I have never before or since heard an alleluia sung in that vocal range – but she did it. I am sure that my face must have looked to the congregation like one dumbstruck. I imagine I went slack-jawed.

In those moments, as she finished, the organist recovered himself, the choir recovered, and they took up singing the verses that precede the gospel as if nothing had happened and the deacon proclaimed the gospel – and then my friend went to the pulpit for the homily. He paused for a moment and said in an even voice “Well…let us hope that I can preach better than I sing.” Everyone laughed, including him, and totally ended the awkwardness of the moment as well as the cringes we had etched on our faces. I still laugh every time I remember it – and the myriad of expressions on the various faces – after all these many years.

 

[babochka]

Well, as a priest I certainly appreciate the humour in it and would have welcomed it. Laughter, after all, is a spontaneous human reaction to a variety of unexpected scenarios.

I remember in my early teaching days being with a friend for the celebration of the triduum during the school’s break and concelebrating the Easter Vigil with him. The moment came for him, as the presider, to solemnly intone the alleluia. He intoned it – but his initial note was too high for where he had to go.

I immediately knew this was not going to work…but we were committed and we all responded to the first alleluia and off we went. Inevitably, he reached the point in the third alleluia where his vocal range would not allow him to continue the upward gradation that he needed to…although he certainly gave it all he had. Of course, everyone at a point had basically stopped singing, except the choir, as this unfolded…and then suddenly crashed.

At the moment his voice completely faltered, the organ fell silent and everyone fell silent…except one quick thinking soprano chorister who took up and finished my friend’s faltered alleluia and then proceeded to answer herself in an improvised solo that took her to that final crescendo of the last alleluia, which she sang a cappella. I have never before or since heard an alleluia sung in that vocal range – but she did it. I am sure that my face must have looked to the congregation like one dumbstruck. I imagine I went slack-jawed.

In those moments, as she finished, the organist recovered himself, the choir recovered, and they took up singing the verses that precede the gospel as if nothing had happened and the deacon proclaimed the gospel – and then my friend went to the pulpit for the homily. He paused for a moment and said in an even voice “Well…let us hope that I can preach better than I sing.” Everyone laughed, including him, and totally ended the awkwardness of the moment as well as the cringes we had etched on our faces. I still laugh every time I remember it – and the myriad of expressions on the various faces – after all these many years.

Thanks for a good chuckle tonight.

My husband and I are firmly convinced that the secret to a good marriage is to be able to see the humor in our mistakes and to laugh at ourselves.

 

[SMHW]

That’s not the impression I get from reading the posts here, although it could just be a slow day. But I’m no psychologist.

Well I know I came to this thread seeking humor.

But I don’t think the people at the Mass described in the original post walked into the church hoping something humorous would happen that day.

 

[SMHW]

Thanks for sharing. I’ve seen (and heard) a number of humorous things happening at Mass from my position in the alto section of the choir.

We can chose to be offended at the “failure” that inspires the humor or we can all laugh together and remember that we serve a God who gave us our senses of humor.

 

[ProVobis]

Well I know I came to this thread seeking humor.

As did I and I’m still looking for it. To be sure, I like humor as much as the next guy. I don’t even mind a joke or two at the sermon from time to time, if it makes a point.

But with all due respect, the missal is not a joke. Nor am I impressed with it being said from memory. The “mistakes” could have been avoided in my book.

So say all you want about laughter being the best medicine but I’m done here.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

As did I and I’m still looking for it. To be sure, I like humor as much as the next guy. I don’t even mind a joke or two at the sermon from time to time, if it makes a point.

But with all due respect, the missal is not a joke. Nor am I impressed with it being said from memory. The “mistakes” could have been avoided in my book.

So say all you want about laughter being the best medicine but I’m done here.

Why do reference the missal? The missal in the Novus Ordo most assuredly does not contain the readings; that volume rests upon the altar or at the presider’s chair. The readings are published in the multi-volume lectionary or, if it is being used either in the entrance procession or resting on the altar, the gospel reading is then proclaimed from the Book of the Gospels.

In the interest of space, these actually do not contain the introductory dialogue printed and preceding each gospel reading; it is, of course, invariable.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Thanks for sharing. I’ve seen (and heard) a number of humorous things happening at Mass from my position in the alto section of the choir.

We can chose to be offended at the “failure” that inspires the humor or we can all laugh together and remember that we serve a God who gave us our senses of humor.

That is very true. I concur.

I also have accumulated a number of tales across the many years.

 

[PrayPsalm51]

The Busted Halo Show on Sirius radio runs a segment called “Masshaps” from time to time and it’s always so funny. It takes great humility to recognize our mistakes and laugh at ourselves.

 

[Phemie]

How odd. Eucharistic prayer IV is a modern composition modeled on the Eastern anaphoras and has an entirely different voice from Eucharistic Prayer II, which is rooted in the third century. It is rather confounding to me that a priest could conflate the two accidentally…those two above all. You should casually mention this experience to the priest…perhaps he somehow grabbed the wrong tab of the missal.

The question was asked. It was deliberate. He didn’t think anyone would notice.

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

… about how to properly handle indigestion at Mass. But no.

I would think audible hiccups are addressed in the rubrics, but since the Church is silent they must be allowed according to the individual conscience.

Haec, hoc!

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

At least he did not say “Christ is Risen” on Christmas, like our priest at a TLM did!

:extrahappy: