Sitting during Gospel

[praxising]

I think that if Jesus could go through what he did for me… I can manage to stand a little longer than normal to listen to the word of God.

Well, you really are a wonderful Catholic.

Here’s the thing, though. In the row behind you is a woman with arthritis in her feet who manages to make it through most Gospel readings but will have to sit down for this one mid-way through. Of course, she’s not as wonderful as you are what with giving in to her suffering, like the guy a few rows back and four people toward the aisle who has a serious heart condition and if he stands in one place too long his atrial fibrillation really starts acting up and he has to sit down. Maybe he’s an okay Catholic, though, he might be worried about falling on someone and disrupting the service, so we’ll decide he’s pretty much okay. I think there were a few others at your Mass who would have had to sit, being not so great Catholics as yourself, and then, they are surrounded by standing parishioners and cannot see anything and so, miss a lot of what is being said, as well. Although if they are bored, they can make a game of comparing the butts of those in front of them.

It’s not about you.

 

[TheMc]

Well, you really are a wonderful Catholic.

Here’s the thing, though. In the row behind you is a woman with arthritis in her feet who manages to make it through most Gospel readings but will have to sit down for this one mid-way through. Of course, she’s not as wonderful as you are what with giving in to her suffering, like the guy a few rows back and four people toward the aisle who has a serious heart condition and if he stands in one place too long his atrial fibrillation really starts acting up and he has to sit down. Maybe he’s an okay Catholic, though, he might be worried about falling on someone and disrupting the service, so we’ll decide he’s pretty much okay. I think there were a few others at your Mass who would have had to sit, being not so great Catholics as yourself, and then, they are surrounded by standing parishioners and cannot see anything and so, miss a lot of what is being said, as well. Although if they are bored, they can make a game of comparing the butts of those in front of them.

It’s not about you.

Not to say we are perfect or anything, but what we did at our parish seemed to be a reasonable idea. In the hand outs for palm sunday (reading of the passion) and good Friday (chanting of the passion) it said very clearly in the appropriate (Stand, if you are able).