The Mass isn’t Boring

Its a common critique among young Catholics and often used as an excuse for not going to mass.  “It is boring.”  Well that depends on why you’re there.  I’ll be talking about that now on EPIC Radio’s blog.

It is a common critique among Catholics, young Catholics especially.  To a certain extent, I can understand that, it is certainly fun to be lectured at.  But I believe that mass is exciting.  It is one of the few times when Heaven meets Earth.

There are cultural reasons for thinking the mass is boring.  If you haven’t read Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death (you can listen to it for free with an Audible.com trial (wink wink)), I highly recommend it.  It was written back in the 1980’s (there is more than a few references to President Reagan) but it is painful to see how accurate it is, even in today’s society.

In the book, Postman refers how that in our society, everything is being done for entertainment.  The news is cut into short little bits and stories jumped from one to the other (It is hilarious that “NowThis” is a reputable news source, since this used to be the saying when news casters  would make a switch from one topic to the next.  Usually the topics weren’t related).  I remember asking someone why they went to a non-denominational Christian church and I remember the answer was “well the people are nice and with all the singing and such it feels good.”

We are living in a society of pleasure seeking people.  People expect to be entertained where ever we go, and, unfortunately, people are expecting that in the mass.

Now, I have nothing against contemporary masses (AQ uses the music from the Mass of St. Anne, and I’ll admit, it’s grown on me), but I generally prefer an organ and a more classical mass.  It seems with some churches (obviously not all), they have switched to more contemporary tunes to draw in more young people (I’m not talking just about Catholic churches).  While there’s nothing wrong with this inherently, the pastor or priest needs to be questioning why young are only coming if there is contemporary music.  They might find that it is because of it’s entertainment value.

The point of the Catholic mass is not to hear a really good sermon, but that is good.  It is not to hear scripture, although that is good too.  It is to join in the Eucharistic celebration.  Jesus gave us his flesh and blood so we can one day meet him in His kingdom.  He says in John 6:54, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”  That is why we should be at mass.

I would like to encourage everyone to listen to the prayers that the priest is saying during the Eucharistic Prayer and after you receive the Eucharist, reflect on what was said while Heaven and Earth were meeting.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who according to the will of the Father, with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, hast by Thy death given life unto the world, deliver me by Thy most sacred Body, which, I, unworthy, have presumed to receive, from all my iniquities and from every evil, and make me ever to hold fast to Thy commandments and suffer me never to be separated from Thee. Amen.

I want to know more about what you think with this.  Comment and share below.