SÉAMUS AHEARNE: MUSINGS…
DOES SUNDAY MASS MATTER?
The Document from the Bishops’ Conference (on the Mass) raises questions: Why does Mass matter? It was discussed at our Deanery and then at our Parish Pastoral Council. The discussion was important and the question relevant. The temptation was for many of us to drift away into talking about the reasons why many are not coming to Mass. Increasingly, the Mass is irrelevant. However, I felt the issues and questions were also very critical for ourselves; and for those who are regulars at Mass.
THE QUICK MASS:
Culturally in Ireland – the quick Mass was and probably is, the attraction. Many of the ministers feel that our congregations couldn’t cope with a long Mass. Moreover, many Masses were ever so passive. It is still quite extraordinary that so often there is no singing at Mass or else there is a choir doing the singing but the congregation are seen as onlookers rather than participants. I have the bad thought that Mass as presently constructed is almost blasphemous. What do I mean? It is overwhelmed with too much packaging. It is psychologically overbearing. There is such little space.
IS THE DRAMA OF MASS – MADE TOO PROSAIC?
How can it ever be possible – for that short time to be packed full of three Readings; full of churchy words; have some collections; and a preacher man!? We do need to strip it back, and we have to be careful with our language. Holy Words don’t touch the lives of most of us. Scripture isn’t about just holy words – it is allowing somehow, God to speak into our lives. Most come to Church without ever having prepared. The Word can’t speak. Unless it is shaped and contoured to our experiences. The Bread has to be broken. And when it is broken; it has to be shared. God speaks to everyone and through everyone. Each person is a revelation of God. Do we actually believe this? Culturally now – people like the instant effect. To be fed rather than be involved in the whole gamut of preparation. People are used to the Media Show. How does our presentation compare with Strictly Come Dancing? Our Theatre has props; has immediacy; has words/language that speaks into the emotional depths of our lives. This is a Religious Drama. Or does it. Or should it? Or must it? And how?
WHY IS MASS IN IRELAND OFTEN SO PASSIVE?
I speak of blasphemy. The passive notion of Mass is obscene. People don’t come just to listen or to pay or to go to Communion. We can’t go to Communion. We are in Communion with God; with each other; with our past; with our very selves. It is the sacredness of the moment that matters. Now Mass isn’t just about those attending or those who don’t attend. It is how do we meet the Sacred in our lives? Where is the Holy? How do we touch ‘the more’? We can use the language of Holy Ground. We can recall Moses taking off his shoes. Or Jacob dreaming of the ladder. We can talk of the Sanctuary. But how is God revealed? It is the very challenge of humanity. To reach up. To catch the holy. To be awed.
THE LANGUAGE:
This speaks not just about those who don’t come; it is speaking to all of us. That includes the ministers. The priests. It challenges us every time we appear. Do we smother God or set God free? How is God allowed to talk? What language are we using? We have been through the nonsense, or the disgrace, of the Prayers in the Missal. It is shocking. The language is bad English and bad theology and yet someone let that loose among us. Does the God of our Community, ever get a chance to speak? The central point always has to be – Does the Word (in its fullness) become Flesh? And how do we give people confidence that their lives are the home of God in our world? Tell us about it. Make room for it to happen.
WONDER; GRACE; GODLINESS:
Moreover, the reality is that the Mass has become mundane. It is too prosaic. The language of mystery is poetic. Is artistic. It soars into the beyond. It leads us to wonder. It brings us inside the veil. There is a profundity that we are trying to experience. Yes Mass isn’t only the moment or the occasion. This sense of wonder and the realisation of how little we are, in the great scheme of life, tingles with grace and Godliness. It has to be humbling. Is this missing now in the plastic nature of present day life? I recall with amusement. We had Christopher at our PPC meeting. He is from Nigeria. I remembered Masses in Nigeria. They could go on for a couple of hours. It was always an explosion of belief. I recall being in Korea with the gentle bowing and awesomeness of it all. I muse on Brazil when every celebration was teeming with youthfulness and exuberance. I think back to Hoxton (London) – with the South Americans, the Asians, the Africans; All vying with each other to celebrate. It was wonderful. That could be put better; it was full of wonder.
MANCHÁN AND JULIA:
Manchán taunted us with ‘the more’ of life. He delved into the Spirit in the land; in the air; in the trees; in life itself. We had the funeral of Julia Daczkowska, last Thursday. She was almost 6. Her mother Aga, came home to Heathfield Eastate here in Finglas and found her husband and child dead. That mother (Aga) spoke at the funeral. All she could say was Thank you. To everyone in the community who looked out for her. To the little one who in heaven, was giving her strength. Thank you. That was Mass. That was Eucharist. That was grace. God was deeply present and truly celebrated.
Seamus Ahearne osa
14TH OCTOBER 25.