“…I’ve even been asked to move to a row of pews in the back to accommodate these people. How is this fair!!!”
Does anyone feel like this sometimes? I know I have in certain ways. And I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone.
This bit about being asked to move reminds me of something that happened to me this Sunday. Bear with me as I tell this story. I was sitting in the third row on the far left side of the pew, which is right behind the lectors. I am also a lector, and at our annual meeting a few days earlier, one of the lectors complained about the ushers seating people in the front of the church after mass has begun. Our pastor said it was fine, but that they really should only come up the side aisles after mass has begun rather than the center.
Apparently, the ushers were duly corrected. After mass began, the usher brought some people up to where I was sitting with a friend of mine and asked us to move over. We moved down to the right side of the pew…although I did not go quite all the way because the end spot there, which is along the center aisle, is behind a shorter pew and thus doesn’t have a kneeler. The person who sits there must remain seated or kneel on the stone floor during consecration and communion. Initially, I did not realize that the usher wanted to seat a large family with us, but he caught my attention again and asked me to move over all the way. I was thinking “I really don’t want to sit in that spot”! He must have known what I was thinking, because he gave me a pleading look and mouthed “please”. I begrudgingly moved all the way over.
Needless to say I was not happy. I was annoyed with T, the lector who had complained. I was annoyed with these people who came to mass late. And, I was annoyed with the usher, who had crammed us into the pew like rats! Also, I don’t really consider myself old enough to just stay seated during communion. Yet, I do have bad knees, and the surface of my kneecaps is quite uneven. So, kneeling on a hard surface, even on carpet, is painful. I was thinking, “this just isn’t fair! These people came late, and now I am stuck in this crummy seat”. I was sitting with a young friend, D. I am sure he would have gladly switched places. But, he is schizophrenic, and isn’t always cognizant of what is going on around him to do what is needed without prompting. I wasn’t sure what to do. I asked God to please have D. notice and offer to help me. Well, he didn’t…
At first, I just bowed my head during the consecration, but then I really started feeling like I needed to kneel. So, I did and yes it hurt, but not as much as I expected. During the sign of peace, the Mother of the family sitting next to us thanked me for moving over so they could do this. After that I asked the Lord to please help me kneel all the way through communion. As I came back to my seat after communion, I noticed that only the children had gone forward while the parents remained behind. I used to be in that boat…and it is hard. I knew it was good they were there. Needless to say, the prayer after communion was not exactly peaceful as that was a long period on the knees, but I kept asking the Lord to help and he did make it bearable. I was able to kneel like that for at least 10 minutes. I was quite surprised.
I recently started asking for more of my sins of pride to be revealed to me. Surely HE did! But HE also gave me what I needed to endure the resulting minor sufferings. And, maybe I am too vain because I could have asked D to help, but didn’t…more pride. Well after thinking about all of that I am reminded of Luke 14:10-11.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your frustration. You aren’t alone…
