Sunday, March 11, 2007

A wonderful homily today

The comfort it brings to attend the Tridentine Mass cannot be expressed in words(although I will try). We have not been to Sunday Mass at our home parish for almost a month. I do go during the week, however. Today the homily was on the suffering of being a "traditional". This was just one aspect of the homily but it was directed at those of us that feel hurt by the Church, feel sad or perhaps angry by someone or something within the Church. I cried. I feel that way. My silly notion of Catholicism as a child has left me jaded and hurt. I have a shield up now that I won't budge on because of the liberal garbage that I was taught when I was young. I know the "shield" is not the answer but until I find that answer, I am on guard always.

In the homily, Father spoke about saints who have been wronged by the Church, their bishops, their orders and what they did to overcome that persecution or suffering. A wise and timely homily indeed. I see good priests around me being persecuted for standing firm in their faith and in trying to lead people to holiness. I see those that have a "whatever you wanna do is fine by me" attitude toward lay people and those in their parish and they seem to remain untouched. While it hurts to witness this, it leads me to want to follow them all the more(the holy ones, that is). To cry or tremble during the consecration because I know the power of Christ working through these holy men of God is what keeps me going. It allows me to suffer through a Mass riddled with abuses and silliness the following week. I am finding some of what was bitterness, turning to hope and that's an amazing transformation for me. I do have such intense hope in the Church and in my own dilemma. And so I will mull through another week of "Gather Us In", "We Remember" and the "Yoo-Hoo Song" along with the "creative" liturgy at our parish with the hope that one day I won't be a "roamin'" Catholic any longer.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you can't stand the Mass during the week why do you go? Wouldn't it be better not to go than to ridicule it?

a thorn in the pew said...

Ah, I go for my children. I have to keep an eye on what they are learning and how the Mass is because they are full of questions and the change from the old priest there to the priests is drastic. Having special needs kids, I am limited in where I can send them. Most Catholic schools would not take them. So for now, they are there and we do the best we can. But the changes from a traditional priest to the more liberal new ones is like night and day. It was the last traditional parish in the diocese before they moved our priest. Hope that helps explain.