NOW I Get It...

I attended a Mass this morning that gave me lots of food for thought.

(1) Things I learned in four separate "homilies" at Mass this morning:

• The Eucharist means "Thanksgiving".
• We offer bread and wine in a meal, not bloody sacrifices anymore, on our altars. Jesus was the last bloody sacrifice to happen on this altar ... "Well, not this altar, exactly, but you know what I mean..." and now that has been replaced by a meal.
• The Communion Rite begins after the Great Amen, which signals the end to the Eucharistic Prayer.
• Youth ministry is exactly the same as campus ministry, and involves various techniques to help young adults appropriate their faith.

Seriously ... if you don't say it in the homily, don't say it.

(2) I also learned that the appropriate response to "And also with you" is "Thank you". (?!)

(3) When asked before Mass if anyone was a lector in their parish from our group, I raised my hand. I had just introduced myself, indicating I work in the "other" church. Now, I have met this priest at least a dozen times, even having attended the opera with him. The most recent encounter we had was at a social gathering just two months ago, and yet he still looks at me like he has never set eyes on me in his life. Are you really that self-centred? Anyway, I got up and did the reading and responsorial Psalm cold. Thank you Jesus, they went smoothly. It's not like I haven't read from that very ambo at least 100 times.

(4) There are more signs up around the parish, taped to doors and walls, than I care to count with various prohibitions and instructions. Something about the parish just didn't feel like "home" anymore. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign...

The signs were loud and clear. A small part of me misses what once was there, my former home and a safe, loving place. A bigger part of me is glad not to be there anymore since the latter is seemingly no longer present.