Got frowns for my views on mass

[Traditional_Ang]

The “me and Jesus” attitude is just the other extreme of Protestantism; it’s not Catholic - no more so than the "let’s get together and have a good time while calling it “worship,” which is also not very good.

The Mass is a community event, but it’s not a party-like get-together, and the focus is not ourselves - it’s Jesus.

Mass is not: Me and Jesus.

Mass is not: Me and my neighbors.

Rather, Mass is: Us and Jesus.

jmcrae:

I would actually say that, to be correct, the Mass is JESUS and us with the proper emphasis on Jesus who gives Himself to us and saves us and shares in nature with us in spite of the fact that we are absolutely unworthy and don’t deserve it.

It’s too bad this isn’t the attitude in more of our parishes or of more of our priests and bishops.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael

 

[cathsem]

I love this “Jesus and us” formulation. I hope the one who posted this will not complain if I borrow it for a homily one day (God willing!)

One further comment: We must remember that Mass is the ultimate community event! Why? Because it includes the whole Church. Not even just the Church Militant, but the Eucharist is a foretaste of what is already being shared in by the Church Triumphant, and the sacrifice is offered for the members of the Church Suffering, that they may once again see our Lord in the land of the living.

No, community is not bad. Rather, it is just the extent of the community that we need to think about at Mass.

 

[Traditional_Ang]

I love this “Jesus and us” formulation. I hope the one who posted this will not complain if I borrow it for a homily one day (God willing!)

One further comment: We must remember that Mass is the ultimate community event! Why? Because it includes the whole Church. Not even just the Church Militant, but the Eucharist is a foretaste of what is already being shared in by the Church Triumphant, and the sacrifice is offered for the members of the Church Suffering, that they may once again see our Lord in the land of the living.

No, community is not bad. Rather, it is just the extent of the community that we need to think about at Mass.

Cathsem:

If I post anything of value, it’s something I heard or read from one of the Church Fathers or the Saints or one of my teachers. You are welcome to use it if it will help you teach any future congregations you may have.

God willing, you will be a good and faithful priest, pastor and shepherd.

If you haven’t been assigned it already, you might want to read Archbishop’s Sheen’s, The Priest is Not His Own, available from the Catholic Company:

catholiccompany.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=5734

It’s an excellent work on the priesthood.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael

 

[cathsem]

Cathsem:
If you haven’t been assigned it already, you might want to read Archbishop’s Sheen’s, The Priest is Not His Own, available from the Catholic Company:

It’s an excellent work on the priesthood.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael

I was not assigned this book, but found it and read it anyways and I agree completely with your assessment; it is one of the greatest books I’ve ever read on the priesthood. (Thank you, Ignatius Press, for publishing it.)

 

[revejj2000]

Did you know that Holy Mass can be said by a priest without anyone else there?
So by your standards, that is not a mass, right?

How about a reference to this thought?

According to the instructions in the Sacramentary (1985 edition) on page 39*, The Different Forms of Celebration, Section III, entitled “Mass Without a Congregation,” the Introduction states:

1. This section gives the norms for Mass celebrated by a priest with only one server to assist him and to make the responses.
2. In general this form of Mass follows the rite of Mass with a congregation. The server takes the people’s part to the extent possible.
3. Mass should not be celebrated without a server or the participation of at least one of the faithful, except for some legitimate and reasonable cause. In this case the greetings and the blessing at the end of Mass are omitted.

It sounds like the intent of the Church is to have one other person with the priest at a Mass.

 

[awalt]

I’ll add a beautiful quote by Ronald Rolheiser:

“Ecclesiology, church, by definition, is walking to God within a community. To attempt to make spirituality a private affair is to reject part of our very nature and walk inside of a loneliness that God himself has damned.”

 

[Tietjen]

Am I wrong for wanting our church to stay true to the tradition of the church? Or do I need to be more open-minded to other options?
Thanks for listening.
Peace

It sounds as though you spoke truthfully AND CORRECTLY. Mass is not supposed to be a sitcom, a theater production, a talent show, or a sporting event. If someone wants “entertainment” they need only sit on the coutch in front of the “idiot box” or drive to their local theater. Good job Dave!

 

[buffalo]

I’ll add a beautiful quote by Ronald Rolheiser:

“Ecclesiology, church, by definition, is walking to God within a community. To attempt to make spirituality a private affair is to reject part of our very nature and walk inside of a loneliness that God himself has damned.”

A thread on Rolheiser