Transcendent

I found myself in Spanish Mass again today. I'm not sure what keeps drawing me back.

I only understand about every third word, and I know about half of the responses, not including the Creed.

I know nothing about the priest, and even less about the congregation. From what I can tell though, the priest is just very good at doing what priests ought to do: preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today's Gospel reading from Luke was about the Road to Emmaus. I LOVE this Gospel passage, and I LOVE Luke's Gospel, particularly chapters 19 to 24. Father was preaching about how the Mass is valid and true whether the people sitting in the pews believe in it. It's always good to hear the Truth.

Another thing I like about the Spanish Mass is when Father says "let us give thanks to the Lord, our God" and we say "es justo y necesario." In English we say "it is right and just," but in Spanish it translates to "it is just and necessary." It makes me think, and I just like it.

There's something so crazy about the fact that I can hear Father's homily, barely pick up the gist of what he's trying to say, but still, somehow, my soul is lifted up and my heart is moved, and I just KNOW that he's saying something really brilliant. I was also noticing how beautiful it is that a priest's vestments serve to separate their person from the things they are doing. When they're wearing them, Jesus is using their lips to say His words and their hands to consecrate His body. Just as the confessional is not a place where one confesses to a priest who brings your sins to God, the communion line is not a line where one goes up to a priest to receive Jesus. Instead, Christ Himself is giving away His own body to His people, and He does it so freely, without reservation, completely in love. Love is real.

For those of you who are interested, I'll recount the recent Colorado excursion in my next post.

SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II, pray for us!!!