Thursday, February 03, 2011

Wake Me Up for the Parousia

Happy New Year

It's been a while since I've been here, that's for sure.  I have been busy.  I am still trying to figure out why I'm sick, to try to get myself back into 'fighting trim' as a member of the Church Militant.

Or is it the Church Somnolent?

My faithful followers, and my other friends, will know that I have a 'thing' for liturgy...at one time I described it as a passion.  The past few years have pretty much eliminated the possiblity of my name and 'passion' occurring in the same sentence.  It is hard to get excited about things.  But I'm trying.

I think it's getting better.  Every so often I get flickers of my old self.  Well, my old liturgical zealot self.  Something gets me moving.

Something like listening to people complain about the choir.  Warning...do NOT complain about the choir in my presence!  It is not healthy.

Our esteemed choir leader decided that we should learn to chant the Our Father, according to the Mass setting we've been using for Ordinary Time for several years now.  It's a nice setting, and very easy to learn, as these things go.  She had the support of both Father and the choir in doing this.

But people will talk.  They will grouse and moan.  And they will try to pass opinion off as valid criticism.  Cries of "Liturgically Incorrect" were summarily dealt with.  Education had the effect of silencing most

Life has been made difficult for at least a couple of people in this process.  And that couple of people really have far better things to be doing with their time than trying to entertain those who will not be entertained except by being catered to.

Why DO people do this?  Why does one suppose his taste in anything should be imposed on many, when the many are not doing anything wrong?

The Church needs people to be involved and dedicated and devout.  The Church does NOT need people trying to run the 'show' when they are governed more by their personal thoughts and desires than by the Church's teachings.

The Church does not need people who are there to be entertained.  Hmm.  Perhaps it is this type of Churchgoer who inspired the idea that "religion is the opiate of the masses" (Karl Marx).  Does this mean the Mass is an opiate?  Hah.  There's that "Church Somnolent" thing again.

No.  As was said by Pius XII and many after him, we are called to full active and conscious participation in liturgy.  Nothing sleepy about that.  Nothing sleep-inducing about that, except perhaps the peace that one may come to because of that participation.

So, anyway...this has pulled me out of hibernation.

Good liturgy...resistance is futile.

God Bless

2 comments:

Vox Cantoris said...

You should blog more JP!

JP said...

Thank you kindly! I will try...