We followed our usual routine today--9 a.m. Mass at our local parish with a potty stop before for Jacob. As Jacob and I came back into the church, we didn't see Mommy and Lucy in the back few pews on either side. We discovered them four or five rows back from the front! These seats were the closest we'd ever been. I forgot to ask why we were sitting so close.
Mass started as usual. When the priest announced the children's liturgy, Lucy decided not to go. She changed her mind during the gospel reading. We thought it was too late to go, so we made her stay. Turns out later during the tea and cakes, the lady who usually covers the tots room came by to ask where Lucy was. We made our explanation and said we'd probably be back next week. She said it was okay to come late if Lucy changed her mind.
At the offertory, we discovered we had almost no UK cash on us. The church got our last 26 pence of pocket change. We'll do better next week, we swear! Also, we lit candles with the promise of paying at least double next week. We better not miss Mass or go somewhere else next week. Or have no money on us again.
Other parts of the Mass went well. Jacob and Lucy were very quiet and well behaved. Jacob tried to sing along with songs, doing quite well with the gospel alleluia. Lucy did sneak out into the aisle a few times. The first couple of times she just stood there holding my hand. I thought it wasn't too disruptive so I let her do it. After communion, she tried to get back in the aisle while people were still in line to receive (since we were in pew four, there was lots of church behind us). Eventually the line finished. Lucy was back out in a flash. Then, apropos of nothing, she started jumping up and down. I thought that might be too disruptive, so I reeled her back into the pew.
The sermon was quite excellent today. The gospel was Jesus's parable of the king who holds a wedding feast. The invited guests don't show up so he sends out a couple of reminders. When the guests kill his messengers, he gets furious and wipes out their town. He then invites others from all over. One fellow doesn't wear the appropriate wedding garb and gets thrown out. Father explained that royal weddings at the time were as much politically motivated as anything else. Such were opportunities for the king to make alliances and promote peace and unity. The actions of the guests in the parable are quite terrible indeed. We too are invited to God's banquet at Mass. We too need to have the appropriate mindset and attire when we come to God's feast that promotes peace among all and the unity that is the Mystical Body of Christ. Also, father said that the king's question of the inappropriately dressed person, "Friend, what are you doing?" is very much like what Jesus says to Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.
No comments:
Post a Comment