Musings of a Catholic Convert

You may remember way back in the day when I posted an article about Catholic Ninjas.  You know, the people who are in and out of Mass before they are noticed?  The past two weeks in Mass I have noticed a decrease in Catholic Ninja activity.  Normally, I know that we have been Ninjafied when I at Mass.  There are always two significant occurances.

1.  During Father's collect prayer after the Penitential Rite, my eyes are closed.  When I open my eyes, where there were empty seats I now see people standing.  It's like magic!  No, you fool, it's Catholic Ninjas.  Abra Cababra and all that jazz.  The only thing missing was a puff of smoke, but maybe that happened when my eyes were closed as well.

2.  After Communion, I kneel to pray with my family.  When we finish praying, sometimes the Blessed Sacrament has not yet been reposed in the Tabernacle.  As I look toward the altar again, I notice that many previously occupied spaces in the pews are now vacant.  Where did those people go?  They were not people.  They were Catholic Ninjas.  You have been Ninjafied!  Again, no smoke bomb or flash powder, just disappearance.  It would be a really awesome trick if it weren't so sinful.  

I haven't seen as much Catholic Ninja activity the past two weeks.  People are still appearing after the penetential rite but I'm not seeing the vanishing act after communion.  Now, to be frank with everyone, I'm sure that there are still Catholic Ninjas practicing their dark arts.  However, it does appear that either they are appearing in another section of the Church or they are decreasing their activity.  I'm hoping for the latter.

If Catholics knew the significance of the Mass, and especially of the Eucharist, we would not see Catholic Ninja activity.  We would not see people chewing gum, or parents feeding their kids sandwiches during Mass.  We would not see people yawning or looking at their watch.  We would see and hear people participating in the Mass.  We would see people concerned about proper gestures (bowing during the recitation of the Incarnation in the Creed) and not concerned with improper gestures (holding hands during the Our Father) during Mass.  We would see people  concerned with the state of their heart and not the status of their cell phones.  We would see lives changed.  We would see an increase in holiness.  We would see an increase in vocations to the consecrated life and to Holy Orders. 

I don't understand why people are in such a hurry to get out of Mass on Sunday.  If your time is so valuable that you can't wait until the Recessional is over before you have to run out of the Church, why are you even coming to Mass?  What is another 5 minutes?  Do you love Jesus so little that you have to flee his Church immediately after communion?  Do you think that the communion you profess and receive is real?  I really don't understand.

I have never been able to understand how people can care so little about their relationship with the Lord, begrudgingly giving Him an hour on Sunday and somehow thinking they are doing Him a favor.  But heaven forbid the service last more than 60 minutes, because then the keys start rattling, you're gathering your things and ready to bolt for the door.  Really?  C'mon.  And you're not even leaving quietly, you're talking on the way out too.  Good grief, people.  Learn to at least respect the house of worship enough to keep your early leaving yap shut until you are outside.  At least pretend to care that this is Church.  

Think I'm being judgemental?  Think I'm being harsh?  I saw this same garbage when I was a Protestant pastor and I still see it at Mass.  And we as Catholics are supposed to be a sacramental people - a liturgical people - and I see this sort of behavior from people who should know better.  I bet nobody taught you to leave Mass early.  You probably learned it from someone else's bad example, just like all those people who are so adamant about holding hands during the Our Father.  Why also are so many people adamant about something that is not even a part of the liturgy (holding hands during  the Our Father) and yet do not even attempt to participate in the parts of the liturgy that are spelled out (making a profound bow during the words of the Incarnation, crossing yourself, etc.).  You have no excuse.

All the prescribed gestures play a role in putting our whole being in the pathway of God's free grace.  In other words, participation in the Mass disposes us to receive the grace He offers through it.  So why take it lightly?  Please don't.  Please give Him that hour of Mass with your whole heart, mind, soul, strength, participation, emotion, attention, and anything else you have.  And don't stop there.  Spend some time during the week praying, reading the Bible.  Did you know that the Church has ways for you to grow in your faith 7 days a week?  Give it a try.  You might find that you like it.