Blogger Priest

There are a number of little things that count in regard to our faith and worship. Let me approach a subject that will probably disturb some but that has to be said. Particular during the summer months, the issue of proper dress at church comes to a head. What we believe internally usually finds itself expressed externally. What we do on the outside strengthens our convictions of right and wrong, internally. At the Last Supper, on the night our Lord was betrayed, he instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his body and blood. This would be the manner by which he would perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until his return, entrusting a memorial of his death and resurrection to his beloved spouse, the Church. If we know and believe the teachings of the Church on the Eucharist, what should be the visible effects of our faith in our lives? Allow me to suggest a way that can help make it all clear. Would you expect to be admitted to a fine, elegant restaurant wearing jeans, sneakers and a tee-shirt? No. Then why do some of us come shabbily or inappropriately dressed to the House of God? The food being served here far exceeds the fanciest French cuisine. Here, Catholics have a lot to learn from many of their Protestant and Jewish neighbors who would never dream of wearing anything but their best to God’s House. Interestingly, they do not even claim, as we do, to have almighty God permanently dwelling there. We all know that God does not expect us to wear evening gowns and tuxedoes to Sunday Mass; but, he does expect our Sunday best, because what we wear reflects our interior disposition. As for those who say that “God doesn’t care what we wear to church,” let me remind them of the parable our Lord told of the man evicted from the Wedding Feast because he was improperly clad. We need to be properly clad on the inside as well. This we accomplish by making regular use of the Sacrament of Penance and by the one-hour fast the Church asks us to observe before receiving Communion. The unworthy reception of our Lord’s body and blood while having mortal sin upon the soul is to commit another mortal sin, sacrilege. Coming to Mass wearing short shorts, having flip-flops on our feet, or recreational clothes, really says something about what we are there to do. Most of this garb is thoughtlessness and that is just the point. Think of what you are doing at Mass and express the true meaning and expectation in the way you dress. The priest’s garments all say something about his role as the celebrant and presider at the gathering. To dress simply in clean clothes, modestly, properly covering the body— that says something, too.

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Distinctive elements in churches are windows. They might be large and clear, overseeing picturesque scenic vistas or colored class or filled with images that speak to faith. We know from our homes that windows are important. No one likes to look at windows when they are dirty and broken. While we often take them for granted, such is not the case with the Church. In the days before the printing press, the Church put the Catechism in its stained-glass windows. This was so that people who could not read would be inspired by the pictures they saw. Often church windows will depict the saints or important stories from the Bible. Pictured are men and women, poor and kings, apostles, and other spiritual kinfolk who are a part of our family of faith. When you visit churches, do you ever look to see if your patron or favorite devotional saint is depicted? We are reminded that we explicitly invoke the saints in the Mass, particularly the Roman Canon. A number of churches have the custom of lighting a candle on a stand that is adjacent to the saint-of-the-day. The whole Church worships at Mass, including the saints who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith. We strive to become what they are, holy saints in the family of God. Angels are often depicted who as in the Sanctus give glory to God. Some churches have windows which depict the important stages in salvation history, from creation to the final consummation in Christ. Through the art and windows of the churches, we fulfill the command that “all creation rightly gives you [God] praise.” Windows can enhance and picture the worshipping Church.

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Blessings are given for many reasons. One category of blessings sets aside that which is blessed for special usage. For example, the chalice is used exclusively for the Sacrifice of the Mass. Other blessings simply invoke God’s pleasure and grace upon the person who is blessed. Other blessings are to remind us that the object used is to be treated as a gift from God and used properly, according to the will of God. Nothing is changed in this kind of object that is blessed. The bread and wine at the altar substantially change into the Body and Blood of Christ, but that is an exception as far as blessings are concerned. Usually the blessing is accompanied by the Sign of the Cross because all power comes from our Lord’s redemptive act. It may seem strange, but parents can bless their children, for instance, when they put them to bed at night. This is simply calling God’s favor down upon this gift of their children. They can use their own words— it is the intention that is important. The Book of Blessings might surprise you with the variety of formal prayers that the Church has for numerous objects. There are blessings for silkworms, ale, seismographs, bridges and many other seemingly unusual things to be blessed. The blessing thanks God for the gifts and reminds us to use them properly, especially in the case of animals, the harvest, etc.

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A common gesture of piety in Catholic churches is the genuflection. In past years, when men wore hats more than they do today, it was not uncommon to see a man tip his hat as he passed the church as he walked or rode the streetcar past. This was a mark of respect for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in the church. Today all of us should make an act of respect and adoration when we enter a church for a visit or for services. The act is called a genuflection. We bend the right knee and touch it to the floor, sometimes steadying our balance with a hand on the pew. It is a salute to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It should be done slowly and solemnly, considering its meaning. It should be more than a curtsey or an unconscious jerk of the knee. The gravity of attention is given the crucifix, altar and tabernacle. With the coming of age, infirmity and occasional injury, it may be necessary to substitute a solemn bow. If you have ever seen some of the people from the Far East in their way of greeting each other, you can see how this can be a very beautiful and prayerful act, if done slowly and with meaning. It is customary when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for us to kneel on two knees as we bow the head. Again, if this is difficult, we have to accommodate ourselves through solemn bows to recognize our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament.

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That which comes into contact with holy things is regarded as sacred. There are a number of sacred vessels used in connection with the Blessed Sacrament. One is the chalice which is an ornate cup that holds the wine for consecration and the precious blood afterwards. It is usually made out of some precious metal to single out its importance. A small plate-like vessel is called the paten, which holds the celebrant’s host during Mass. Another vessel that is used is called the ciborium. This vessel is used by the celebrant and those who help him to give out Holy Communion. It may not be dissimilar in its shape from the chalice and has a lid. Its name comes from the Latin, “cibus,” which means food. This is an obvious reference to our Lord identifying himself as the Bread of Life. Used for Benediction and solemn adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, another vessel is called the monstrance. This vessel resembles a sunburst— the center of which is glass, making the consecrated host visible. The name comes from the Latin word, “monstrare,” which means to show, referring to the visibility of the host. All of these vessels once consecrated by use should be handled with reverence.

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The most prominent piece of furniture in a Catholic church is the altar. It is consecrated by a bishop with special ceremonies. The Sacrifice of the Mass is offered on this altar. Placing the gifts upon the altar signifies handling them over to God. The altar symbolizes Christ in the Catholic religion. It is incensed and the priest kisses it as a sign of respect. During the days of persecution, Christians met to worship in private homes where a table was used as an altar, lest a formal altar betray the identity and presence of Christians. Christ instituted the Mass for the Church upon just such a table on Holy Thursday. Up into the fourth century, Christians also often celebrated upon the tombs of the martyrs. This custom gave rise to the practice of having a saint’s relics under or in every altar. These are usually sealed in the altar stone. By the sixth century, Mass was celebrated in churches on stone altars. Later altars were built in the apse of churches so that people were both behind and in front of the celebrating priest. Many of us are acquainted with the tabernacle being on the altar. In an effort to mark the difference between the various presences of Christ, the tabernacle was separated from the altar in the reformed liturgy. This distinguished the sacrificial activity of Christ made present from the abiding presence in the tabernacle. This was not done to discourage visitation and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; rather, it was only to emphasize the differences. Unfortunately, some who renovated churches after Vatican II placed the tabernacle in very obscure places. This is gradually being remedied. In any case, let us be grateful to the Lord, both for the re-presentation of his death and resurrection on the altar and for his being with us in the reservation of the Sacrament in the tabernacle.

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As an element used in the formal dedication of churches, you may see small candle holders or sconces on the walls of a church. Although these are more common with brick or stone structures than wood, the sconces mark the places where the walls were anointed with oil when the church was consecrated. These candles are lit on special occasions, marking the ceremony that is taking place. The ceremonies of a church dedication resemble those of Baptism. The altar is anointed with oil. The church is sprinkled with holy water and the candles remind us of our consecration when a baptismal candle was handed to the godparent and we were told to keep the light burning until the Lord comes to call us home, referring to the practice of our faith. The water also reminds us of our own Baptism. The Church is looked upon as a living thing— the Mystical Body of Christ. The Church is made up of living persons, united with Christ. The Church is not a building. The Church is a living body. The buildings that we call churches get their name from the Body of Christ. Many churches have stained-glass windows with depictions of our kinfolk, the saints. They are in heaven while we are struggling as the Church Militant. Both they and we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who have departed from us with the sign of faith. The poor souls will wait in purgatory for our prayers and sacrifices before coming into God’s heavenly presence. The sconces remind us of the buildings and our own consecration when we meet in assembly to go to the Father through Christ living on the altar.

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At the risk of being repetitious, I would like to say a few more words about the Paschal Candle. We greet it in song as it is brought into the darkness of the church on Holy Saturday night, the vigil of Easter. A new fire is blessed first, and from that fire we ignite the Paschal Candle. Carried in procession and raised high in the church, it is a sign to us of the resurrected Christ who dispels the darkness of sin and ignorance. The deacon (or celebrant) sings the beautiful Exultet after it is placed in the sanctuary for the vigil service. It is immersed in the Easter water as a sign that Christ gives his life to us through the waters of Baptism. It is on this night that those who are coming into the Church are baptized at the ceremony. During the year, perhaps we miss sight of it since it is kept by the Baptismal font and not by the altar (as during the fifty days of the Easter season)? Each person baptized has his or her individual candle lit from the Pascal Candle. The candle is also placed at the head of the coffin in funeral Masses, as an expression of our belief in the resurrection of Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” It is the silent witness to our belief that those who die with Christ will rise with Christ. In the Pascal Candle are imbedded grains of incense in five places, reminding us of the five wounds that our Lord bore for our salvation— pierced hands, feet and side. At his death, blood and water flowed from the side of Christ. The doctors of the Church saw in this— symbols of Baptism and the Eucharist. This candle is also incensed at Easter and at funerals; in so doing we honor the resurrected Christ. As the candle is consumed by burning, so our lives should give off the light of Christ in our conduct; indeed, we should also be consumed in our service to the Lord.

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A distinctive feature in Catholic churches is the Stations of the Cross. We see them along the side walls and there are images depicting our Lord’s suffering on his journey to Calvary to die for us. The Franciscans, largely in charge of maintaining the religious sites in the Holy Land, are responsible for selecting fourteen episodes from Christ’s Way of the Cross. These scenes depict and help us to enter into the saving events of Christ’s journey from outside the city to his place of crucifixion and entombment. While art can be a distraction, it can also help us to focus on the realism and pain that our Lord suffered out of love for us. We can make the Way of the Cross privately or in groups by pausing in front of each station and reflecting upon Christ’s suffering for us. We can use a book or suggested prayers or rely on our own thoughts as we gaze at the particular scenes. Hopefully, the Way of the Cross will stir up our sorrow for the part we played by our sins in Christ’s suffering. We might also rejoice in how he manifested such great love for us by making this journey. In Jerusalem, there are certain places marked as stations in the inner city, even though the ground walked upon is separated by about 20 feet of soil above the actual ground Christ walked upon. It is the same kind of journey we make with him in our parish churches. These depictions of the Stations of the Cross allow us to prayerfully walk the walk with Jesus on the path of our redemption.

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