We have all just completed the first unit of our course "Liturgy for the perplexed" and something wonderful, and mysterious has been surfacing for me. Actually, it is something that began with me even before this course started. I know I talked about how a family member suggested that some events should be a private affair.
Ironically, one of our classmates in this course mentioned how in his former parish Baptisms were still performed at Mass. Interesting, because Terry and I also got into this discussion.
In this age of the "personal relationship" with God, the word and the thought "private" has crept into the picture. We seemed to have turned Our Faith, into "my faith". There are many prime examples of this going on, such as Baptisms after Mass. I'm not so sure why this one occurs. My guess would be that we may or probably would hear from too many parishioners that Mass is "way too long" because of the Baptism. Regardless, I think we are missing something "marvelous", and communal, as quoted by one of my classmates.
The discussion then moved on to funerals. Today, we see funerals with "no visiting hours", " a private ceremony will be held", or "at a later date".
I think you are getting the picture I'm trying to paint. Have we lost our sense of community, in our attempt to be more private in our lives? Have we become so personalized in our faith that we have forgotten or abandoned our neighbors?
The Sacraments are Liturgies, and liturgies are meant to be a celebration. They are meant to be God's way of unifying us all together as one!
As John the Baptist would say "He must increase, and I must decrease!"
It needs to be less about only us, and much more about all of us!
Please share your thoughts!
Bonjour et Adieu mes Amis,
Mitch
Ironically, one of our classmates in this course mentioned how in his former parish Baptisms were still performed at Mass. Interesting, because Terry and I also got into this discussion.
In this age of the "personal relationship" with God, the word and the thought "private" has crept into the picture. We seemed to have turned Our Faith, into "my faith". There are many prime examples of this going on, such as Baptisms after Mass. I'm not so sure why this one occurs. My guess would be that we may or probably would hear from too many parishioners that Mass is "way too long" because of the Baptism. Regardless, I think we are missing something "marvelous", and communal, as quoted by one of my classmates.
The discussion then moved on to funerals. Today, we see funerals with "no visiting hours", " a private ceremony will be held", or "at a later date".
I think you are getting the picture I'm trying to paint. Have we lost our sense of community, in our attempt to be more private in our lives? Have we become so personalized in our faith that we have forgotten or abandoned our neighbors?
The Sacraments are Liturgies, and liturgies are meant to be a celebration. They are meant to be God's way of unifying us all together as one!
As John the Baptist would say "He must increase, and I must decrease!"
It needs to be less about only us, and much more about all of us!
Please share your thoughts!
Bonjour et Adieu mes Amis,
Mitch
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