One of my priest-friends once quipped that very few Masses celebrated on any given day are actually celebrated licitly, that is, lawfully. By this he meant that the rubrics - each one of them - were properly followed. For one reason or another (usually unintentionally) a priest may subsitute a word here or there or skip a word accidentally; his hands may not be extended at the right moment, or may not wear the proper color of the day.
The Mass I celebrated this morning was certainly not licit, though it was entirely valid.
Throughout the Eucharistic Prayer, I seldom lift my eyes from the text of the page simply so I am not distracted by babies and toddlers roaming about, someone heading off to the restroom or people simply paying no attention whatever; that, and my focus isn't the congregation anyway. In addition to seeking to avoid distractions is the simple reminder to me - and hopefully to others - that our worship focuses not on ourselves but on God Most High.
This morning, though, I found another reason why I shouldn't lift my eyes much from the page and even a practical argument for Mass celebrated ad orientem where everyone - priest and congregation - faces the same direction, toward the [liturgical] east.
Just after the consecration of the sacred species, I lifted my eyes to look at the faithful - which I generally do at this moment - to say to them, "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith." However, just as I said, "Let us...," a brightly colored truck happened to roll along down the highway in front of the church, which I saw through the large windows in the front doors. It distracted me to such an extent that I finished the invitation, "...pray to the Father in the words our Savior gave us." Oops. Big oops. It was the first time - and hopefully the last - that I've done that.
The faithful, dutiful as ever, started right in with, "Our Father...," not seeming to notice the significant jump, and continued through to the end. It seems they missed my hand raised ever so subtly in the "stop" gesture. Mass continued in the usual way - from the Memorial Acclamation; we did not pray the Our Father again.
Thankfully, the rest of the day has been much better.
Wow, I am so surprised that they recited the Our Father! I think at the daily Mass I go to, people would have mostly been quiet, maybe said the first couple of words, and looked around waiting for the priest to correct himself.
ReplyDeleteI've definitely seen priests get momentarily distracted and make similar mistakes. I think it makes sense that saying Mass ad orientem would help the priest remain properly focused during the Mass.
Part of the response was, I think, routine, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd some of them told me they thought they got distracted. It happens to all of us from time to time.
Well, the good news is this: While you were holding Jesus, they were praying to Him!
ReplyDeleteI do often think He smiles at our mistakes and distraction as our honest human foibles are often endearing. Had your mistake been intentional...different thing. Unintended, you tried to correct it...God understands, the people understand.
A moment of mercy and forgiveness both, but above all, charity.
I've seen many mistakes, all obvious to us, some corrected, some, well...as you describe. None taken offensively, more revealing of our human nature than anything.
Sorry for your distraction and I DEFINITELY think it's a great argument for ad orientem!
Father, mistakes are mistakes.
ReplyDeleteWillingly omitting or adding things that are not in the rubrics or texts is another matter, altogether. It's unnerving to realize you've done something out of the ordinary, but it's just our frail human nature.
I agree with you about 'ad orientem'.
Our monastic community celebrates both Forms 'ad orientem'; when I help out at the neighboring parishes, I find it "dis-orienting" to be facing the people for the Eucharistic Prayer...I do as you do; keep my eyes down, since I am offering the Sacrifice and addressing God...Just as an aside, the "automatic" responses from the congregation brings to mind a joke I once heard: The priest, standing before the faithful, could not get the microphone to work; he said, just as it went on, "There is something wrong with this microphone"...to which the congregation responded, "And also with you"!:<)!