After all we are both people of faith and as we spoke about what was going on in our lives we kept on referring things to the Lord and what he was doing for us and in us. The one surprising thing might be the word we found ourselves using. We didn't talk about saying Mass or even praying Mass, we just felt it right to say "celebrating" Mass.
That word often means "letting your hair down" and taking a break from daily routine. For both of us then and I'm sure for many people much of the time, celebrating means much more than that.
AS we two people of faith talked together there seemed no way we could avoid referring all the goings on of our lives to the Lord, no way we would want to do so either. He was central to our lives so he was central to our chat too. Neither of us felt like a centre forward sliding about on the grass to celebrate the success of scoring a goal. That kind of success is personal and often self-centred. But the success we were increasingly aware of was the victory of Christ in our lives.
If by now your thinking "Emmaus", you're right, so were we, though neither of us mentioned it. Our hearts had indeed warmed within us as we reflected on our daily lives and realised that he was part of it all.
It had to be Mass and it had to be "celebrating" Mass, for that word alone seemed capable of putting the emphasis where it belonged, not on our occasional good deeds but on his victorious presence in us.
If that seems so right for two friends sharing their faith in private at a time of their choosing, how does it work for time-pushed Catholics fulfilling their "obligation of Mass" on a regular Sunday morning?
Val
Well done, can I use it in my newsletter as a thought provoker?
ReplyDeleteOf course you can Mike, and thanks. And if you ever feellike sending a longer response from way down these in Tasmania,even a whole post , please do. A different experience might help.
DeleteVal