A Homily I’d Like to Hear

Should a priest, during his homily, chastise the people in the pews for arriving late for Mass or for inappropriate behavior during Mass?

A general rule in mass communication is that a leader should never admonish all of his or her followers for the misdeeds of a few.  That being the case, a wholesale reprimand of the congregation is a no-no, whether delivered during a homily or at the end of Mass.

Such reprimands detract from the solemnity of the Mass and the message of the homily.  If a reprimand is delivered during the homily, many in the congregation may immediately shift their attention to those exhibiting poor behavior or who perhaps to those who arrived late for Mass.  Some parishioners might even wonder about the priest’s priorities.

“Yes, a few people do come late, (or are inappropriately dressed) but at least they are coming to Mass!” some parishioners might think.  “Father should be more concerned about those who only come to Mass on Christmas and Easter, or who don’t bother coming to Mass at all!”

Let’s face it, people have been arriving late for mass for decades, maybe even centuries.  And sometimes there are valid reasons for arriving late.  Some people also come to Mass wearing inappropriate attire. And at almost every Mass there are people exhibiting other inappropriate behaviors.  But chiding all parishioners for the actions of a few is just not good idea.

There is, however, a proper way to chide improper behavior.  And it can be done during a homily.  It takes the form of instruction.

Toward this end, I’d like to hear a homily something like the following, perhaps as often as once a year, when it’s appropriate to the Gospel reading.

A Homily

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, let’s think for a few minutes about why we are here.

First off, we are keeping the Third Commandment to keep the Lord’s Day holy.  We are also commemorating Christ’s sacrifice for us and simultaneously worshipping God. But just being here is not enough.  Just being here does not mean we are actively worshipping God.

Being at Mass requires, as the “General Instruction of the Roman Missal” states (18), “a conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful both in body and in mind, a participation burning with faith, hope, and charity, of the sort which is desired by the Church and demanded by the very nature of the celebration.”

The Mass is, first and foremost, a commemoration or a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary.  At every Mass Our Lord and Savior is physically present here with us in the Eucharist.

Think about this for a moment.  Our God, our Lord and Savior, is physically present here with us.  Even before the Consecration, Jesus Christ is physically here with us.  He is present right there in the Tabernacle, in the Consecrated hosts from previous Masses.

So how should we act in the presence of our God, our Creator, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen?  How do we reverently worship God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ, our Savior who died a horrible and agonizing death to open the gates of heaven for us?

Do our actions and behaviors at Mass show reverence? Or are our actions and behaviors sometimes irreverent and even maybe lackadaisical?  Do we think of Mass as  a weekly get together with friends and neighbors?  Or do we exhibit humility, piety, and reverent behavior in the presence of our God?

A Pre-Mass Checklist

You know, airplane pilots have a pre-flight check list they go over before they even start the plane’s engines.  It’s an important step in preparing for what they are about to do.  We, too, might consider adopting a kind of pre-Mass preparation checklist.

The first question we should ask ourselves is, is going to Mass my number one priority each and every week? There is nothing that we do each week that is more important than coming to Mass.

Jesus tells us that we shall love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind.  Keeping the first commandment means keeping God first and foremost in our lives.

Think about that.  If we miss Mass because we made something or someone else more important than God, we are breaking the third commandment and quite possibly the first commandment, too.  And if you have any lapsed-Catholic friends and loved ones, it wouldn’t hurt to bring this to their attention!  They may be surprised to learn that it’s possible they are breaking two commandments each week instead of just one!

Timing and Attire

The second and third questions on the checklist could be, do I get to Mass on time, and am I dressed appropriately to be in the presence of my God?

Now sometimes things do happen that we have no control over.  So sometimes there are valid reasons for being late.  But if God really is first and foremost in our lives, we should be excited about going to Mass!  Only something we have absolutely no control over should make us late.

As for attire, I know that In Mathew 6:25-32, Jesus tells us not to worry about our clothes.  But there is a deeper message here.  He is not saying that it’s okay to dress inappropriately for Mass!

A tee shirt and jeans are fine for a barbeque but the Mass is not a barbeque.  And God already knows which sport team you support, what company you work for, where you go to school, or what rock band you like!  Decorum is a good word to apply here.  Wear clothes – and shoes – that are suitable and in keeping with good taste and propriety.

Jesus is Physically Here With Us

Fourth, when I enter the knave of the church, do I look and see if the lamp next to the tabernacle is lit, signifying the physical presence of our Lord in the tabernacle?  If it is lit, do I show reverence to God by taking a knee and genuflecting or bowing before I enter the pew and sit down?

Number five on the checklist is, once I am in the pew, do I focus my thoughts on God, or do I let worldly matters enter my mind and distract me?  Chatting with one’s spouse during Mass about dinner plans is not focusing on God.  And checking cell phones during Mass is perhaps the most irreverent thing a person can do.  It’s like saying to God, “Hang on a minute God, I have to check and see if anyone’s responded to my post on Facebook.”

The sixth question on the checklist is, once Mass begins do I actively participate?

The Mass is a continuous prayer from start to finish.  As the Catechism tells us [1346]  “The liturgy of the Word and liturgy of the Eucharist together form “one single act of worship.”

Yet during this act of worship I’m often amazed at the number of men standing with their hands in their pockets or checking their watches, or the number of women adjusting their jewelry or fiddling with their hair!  From start of the Mass to its finish, our hands should be folded in prayer and our focus should be on worshipping God.  This is why we are all here.

Active Participation

In this act of worship, as the “General Instruction of the Roman Missal” notes [35], “The acclamations and the responses of the faithful . . . constitute that level of active participation that the gathered faithful are to contribute in every form of the Mass.”

The acclamations and the responses require everyone’s participation.  We all say the Act of Penitence, the Profession of Faith, the Prayer of the Faithful, and the Lord’s Prayer together. We say these as one people, out loud, not silently.

And when it comes to singing the Gloria or the other songs, if you don’t have a good singing voice or can’t hold a tune, at least say the words – out loud.

Proper Postures

Proper posture at Mass is the seventh checkpoint that goes along with reverence.  And by that I mean, kneeling when we are supposed to kneel, standing when we are supposed to stand, and sitting only when it’s appropriate to sit.

I sometimes notice people sitting down at the beginning of the Communion rite and   they remain sitting until the final blessing.  But this is not showing proper piety and reverence in the presence of God.  And it’s also not being very polite to the person who’s kneeling behind the person who’s sitting!

From the Consecration until the undistributed Hosts are placed back in the tabernacle, and the tabernacle doors are closed, everyone not performing the tasks required by their ministry should be kneeling.  Kneeling is showing humility, piety, and reverence to our God who is physically present here with us.

Only when Our Lord is hidden from view in the tabernacle, is it okay to sit down.  And only if someone has an infirmity that prevents them from kneeling do they get a pass here.  If you are just dog tired and tempted to slouch back against the seat while kneeling, remember the agony Jesus endured for your sake.  A little bit of suffering brings us closer to Jesus!

Our Number One Priority

The final item on the checklist is a reminder to stay until the Mass is over.  Remember the first question on the checklist.  Mass should be our number one priority each week.  Our entire day should center on attending Mass.  Nothing else we plan on doing is remotely as important.

Let me say that again.  Going to Mass is the most important thing we do each week.  Even if we cannot receive Communion, we are still actively worshipping God.  And if we are in a state of grace, we get to receive the Eucharist.  We get to enter into Communion with Jesus Christ.  We become one with Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are on this earth for one reason only – to love and serve God.  Many of us are oftentimes less than saintly during the week.  Being devout and reverent at Mass helps make up for our slip ups during the prior week and starts the new week off right.

Laudetur Jesus Christus!