Mass in Past and Present Tense

April 3
Mass in the Past and Present Tense

The little old guy sang Morning Has Broken
We stood when the priest walked in and spoke when we were spoken to
in mass response, underwhelming monotone.
Then the old guy sang Amazing Grace alone and aced it, and we dropped to our knees on the creaky knee supports. In this moment of miraculous transport we fell short.
People yawned as the bread became flesh and the wine became blood-
Freaky, glorious, misunderstood.
I stood when not spoken to and cried little guy! Little guy! sing of this moment! Wake us up! Ignite us! Refresh our memories! We here on our knees have forgotten why we fell and why morning has broken and why there is any amazing thing in the world to tell. But I didn't stand up. I made that part up.

We stood, now spoken to, and gathered in line, a fashion parade walking down the aisle single file. We know where we're going and who will meet us there, but it's as if we don't care.
Why don't we fall prostrate the moment we get there? Why don't we relate? Why aren't we aware? Is there a single shed tear?
There is. But in useless despair I didn't hear.

Arjuna saw Krishna in all his holy holiness and had to turn away. It was more than he could take. We are privileged to see holy holiness every day. It is more than I can take. I stood, aware and awake, as the priest offered me salvation. All that is said is all that can be said. It is repeated again and again. Amen.
And it is repeated in the aftersilence of letting the Lord in. some return to their knees, some stand, some yawn but silently.
The silence is too big sometimes. Too glory filled. Something has happened here. Some silent Amen becomes too freaky to take.
The priest rises and we rise off the creaky knee supports. It's ending and we're awake.

The little guy sings Jesus Remember Me. I remember these words spoken by the thief on the right. We step into the night. Silence.
But he was not a thief. He was a rebel. Aren't we all.