A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
We celebrate the Epiphany, when the Three Wise Men visited the holy family in Bethlehem. Here's what the Three Wise Men did when they approached the Baby Jesus centuries ago:
Today, as we trudge off to Holy Mass, we recall these men and their reaction to being in Our Lord's Presence. We remind ourselves that Mass isn't a weekly occasion to meet and greet our fellow Catholics. Nothing wrong with socializing before or after Mass, of course; but when stepping into the Presence of Our Lord on the altar, our attention should be drawn strictly and totally to Him. Falling to our knees, we genuflect before entering the pew, appropriately recognizing His Presence. Then we quietly recollect ourselves in prayer before Mass begins. If we do this rather than meeting and greeting our neighbors, and chatting it up in the pews before Mass, our participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with undivided attention will naturally follow.
As this New Year begins, let's remind ourselves of this most basic attitude and these simple actions when we go to Mass each Sunday. For many of us, Sunday will be the only time we will be in His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. It will be the one time during this week that we witness the unbloody repetition of His sacrifice on Calvary. Okay, so it may be the one time you see Joe or Mary from your town. But first things first. Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity waits for us on the altar. The Three Wise Men, in their own way, understood and recognized the Divine Presence. Today will be our turn.
And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him... (Mat 2:11)Men of great learning, of lofty intellect, they did not hesitate in expressing their recognition of Our Lord as their Master. He was King of the Universe, even as a baby. Notice again the form of their recognition:
...falling down they adored him...Is that how you greet Our Lord when you are in His Presence? I hope so. While genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament was once common practice in the Catholic Church (deep reverential bow in the Eastern Rites), it's not so common now. No matter. The current disorder need not apply to you. You, like those three men from the East, are much too wise.
Today, as we trudge off to Holy Mass, we recall these men and their reaction to being in Our Lord's Presence. We remind ourselves that Mass isn't a weekly occasion to meet and greet our fellow Catholics. Nothing wrong with socializing before or after Mass, of course; but when stepping into the Presence of Our Lord on the altar, our attention should be drawn strictly and totally to Him. Falling to our knees, we genuflect before entering the pew, appropriately recognizing His Presence. Then we quietly recollect ourselves in prayer before Mass begins. If we do this rather than meeting and greeting our neighbors, and chatting it up in the pews before Mass, our participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with undivided attention will naturally follow.
As this New Year begins, let's remind ourselves of this most basic attitude and these simple actions when we go to Mass each Sunday. For many of us, Sunday will be the only time we will be in His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. It will be the one time during this week that we witness the unbloody repetition of His sacrifice on Calvary. Okay, so it may be the one time you see Joe or Mary from your town. But first things first. Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity waits for us on the altar. The Three Wise Men, in their own way, understood and recognized the Divine Presence. Today will be our turn.
Have a blessed Sunday and Happy Feast of the Epiphany!
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