Last week we left off as we were beating our breast,acknowledging that we are, indeed, sinners in need of a Savior. Is sin still fashionable? Satan would like us to think that sin does not exist, that way, he gets a free pass. And these days everyone around us seems to tell us: “stop worrying! If it feels good, do it!” so we lose the sense of sin. What happens when we lose the awareness of sin? We stop thinking that we need a Savior, and pretty soon we stop going to Confession and, eventually, we stop going to Mass. And Satan will have won the battle for our soul.
That’s why we beat our breast at the beginning of Mass, reminding ourselves that we do, indeed, need a Savior, and His life-giving words, and His life-saving Body.
Kneeling
That‟s part of our Catholic tradition as well. As I mentioned when talking about Genuflection, we ONLY bend our knees to the Living Lord (not His picture or His statue, only the Living Lord in the Eucharist). When we are convinced of this reality, then, as part of our participation in the Sacrifice of the Mass, it makes perfect sense that we would kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer, when our simple offerings of bread and wine (united with the much more valuable offering
of our hearts, minds, souls, actions and lives) will be Transubstantiated—another $5.00 Catholic word—into the very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have been asked: “why do you kneel? It’s a sign of servitude!” “That’s right! I hope that, like Mary, I can say: ‘I am the Servant of the Lord’!” The usual come back is: “Yes, but Jesus’ sacrifice made us all children of God, not servants!” My answer to this is a bit longer: “Because Jesus is the first one to show us how to pray: kneeling before His Father. We are certainly no better than Jesus!” Then again, our Lord keeps talking about good servants and bad servants in the Gospels, that’s a big hint to me not to try and put myself at the same level as the Master, let alone on a higher level! Lastly, Jesus’ called His disciples friends, but they ALWAYS called Him either Master or Teacher. Know what? I am not going to put myself above the Apostles either! And how about our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, who, at his venerable age, kneels for hours on end, wrapped in prayer, he shows us how we should kneel? Almost forgetful of everything around us, he is so focused on the Lord that nothing else matters; he is so aware that God is among us in the Flesh that we pay no attention to anything else: that’s kneeling in prayer! Watching Benedict XVI, we understand that our kneeling
means:
- Humble submission to the Lord’s majesty;
- Repentance and a spirit of conversion;
- Adoration and reverence in prayer.
Finally, when we kneel in prayer we witness our belief. Think about it: if visitors come to attend the Holy Mass at Holy Trinity, they’ll be able to say: “Those folks truly believe in the Real Presence!”
Cell Phones
Here we are, kneeling in prayer, participating in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as Jesus comes to visit us, and … our kids are texting who knows whom.
This is a good a spot as any to talk about cell phones during any liturgy. Everyone has one (cell phone, that is) and occasionally we forget to turn it off, or put it on “vibrate” while we are in church. That’s understandable. However, lately I have seen more and more children, teens and not-so-teens use their cell phones in church to play games or text.
Now, I understand that parents want their children to have a cell phone so they will always be able to get in touch with them. So far, so good. But … parents, really, can you tell me why the same kids should have the phone while they are with you? What I have noticed is that our kids are becoming addicted to texting. A co-worker was telling me just the other day that her eleven-year-old daughter texts under the table during dinner, thinking that she won’t be noticed. She said: “I am so worried, she is addicted to texting. I can’t stop her.” I told her: “You are the one paying for the phone. Why do you?” Of course, the answer was: “I want to be able to get in touch with her when I’m at work.” Good reason. So here’s my next question: “If she has the phone so you can get in touch with her while you are at work, why does she need it when she is at home with you?” So, I am asking all you parents: “Why do your kids need their cell phone when they are with you? And especially at church?”
To be continued…
