I think it’s really important to look at this issue from one central perspective. What is God’s viewpoint? What does the church teach?
The feel good songs of praise, the tambourine shaking and the hooting and hollering is well and good in another setting outside of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
It’s true that much of that was added without the permission of the church. The Holy Mass is still valid with lively music, though it does make it harder to pray.
There is an extremely poor understanding of the Theology of the Mass, of knowing what exactly takes place at every Mass.
On some level, but the theology of the Holy Mass is understood in abstract. Midway through, the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of Our Blessed Lord, and at that moment, the entire church is taken back to calvary, in both place and time. We participate in the sacrifice of Jesus when we eat his body and drink his blood, and because he’s truly present in the Eucharist, we owe him, and it our deepest reverence.
If, on the other hand, you’re trying to say that most modern Catholics are not aware of this, I’m inclined to agree.
This is a mystery that you are not meant to understand but it makes this truth no less a reality.
I think “measure” would be a better word here than “understand.” As I said, we are meant to understand it in the abstract, so that we can appreciate, in some sense, what Jesus does for us. However, if you truly believe that no one can understand the Holy Mass, even in the abstract, then it’s no wonder that so many have failed to do so.
I’ve always believed that logic is not left at the door when dealing with God, and I’m not alone in this, but that’s a separate subject.
This was not a “happy” time for Him.
True, but we have a reason to celebrate, because through his passion and death, we are represented, and through them, we know the way to eternal life. The mass is a celebration of the sacrifice of Our Blessed Lord, and a participation in it at the same time. We are not called to be miserable simply because he suffered. However, there are other reasons for favoring less lively music at the Holy Mass.
When the focus is on feeling good and having a good time we forget that Jesus is getting ready to shed His blood and our sins are what put Him on the cross.
This here is the real problem. The focus of the Holy Mass should be on the divine; not on the community’s participation, and certainly not on oneself, having fun. If teenagers are still at the point where all they care about is having fun, to the point where the church is trying to draw them in with that, then why would they accept the message of Jesus? We save no souls by putting people into pews, but souls can be saved by accepting the Word of God and his teaching, and by sincerely repenting of one’s sins.
Furthermore, if we shift the focus of the Holy Mass off of God, and onto men, we cause terrible confusion in the parishioners, who need reassurance that Holy Mass is more than just a gathering of the community.
The Holy Mass is still valid, regardless of what music is played there. The problem is that certain kinds of music (A) make it difficult to pray, and (B) seem to encourage a lesser reverence for the sacraments as a whole, which causes much more harm than good, since reverence is so important. We can’t love God without revering him.
If Jesus were to come in the clouds today or were to show up in your living room I don’t believe that you would play some “happening” music or shake your tambourine.
If Jesus came in the clouds in glory, I think that most people would not play music, but I can imagine chanting, brass horns and drums, to stress the ancient nature of God’s power, and his relationship with man.
One could easily say the Mass becomes a “self-worship” thing instead of true worship of the Living God. All our attention should be on God and absolutely nothing should bring attention to ourselves. I say come down off that altar where no one belongs but the Priest who represents Christ, the great High Priest, fall down on your face and make reparation for your sins. “A contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn”.
This is very well-said, although the altar boys should also be up on the altar, and maybe a deacon.
The Mass is primarily a Sacrifice and we can never lose sight of this fact lest our celebrations become “love feasts” with ourselves. None of us would’ve been dancing in the aisles at the Last Supper. Nor should we be at Mass.
I think we mainly seem to disagree on only one point here. I don’t think that we’re called to sadness at the Holy Mass. I think we’re called to happiness. However, in being called to happiness, we must not forget our place, and the humility which should be always within our hearts, and the Holy Mass will help to strengthen that humility when everything about it is done reverently, to encourage reverence for God in ordinary Catholics.
As for dancing, the teaching of the church is that dancing is not a valid part of the liturgy.
