THE BEACON ON THE BOULEVARD

       Have you ever done a P.D.A: Public Display of Affection.  For Jesus I mean, a Public Display of Affection for Him?  I’ve been waiting for a while to share these words on the Most Solemn Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.  I celebrated a Mass watching EWTN while on vacation last summer.  I wasn’t able to make a local daily Mass, so I was sad, but as I headed to breakfast, the TV was on.  Mass was on!  Not the same thing, but it made me happy.  Mass on EWTN is most certainly a P.D.A. and they showed it.  It was reverent.  Everyone attending Mass was still as they prayed together.  You could see veils on some of the women.  The choir sang beautifully, but not “showy” in how or what they sung.  There was a kneeler offered at Communion.  The priest prayed the Eucharistic prayer slowly and intentionally.  What I loved was after Communion, seeing him like myself, carefully wiping every speck of Eucharist into the chalice.  After Mass, they put out Jesus in the Monstrance for Adoration.  I looked at Jesus on the altar as I slowly ate my breakfast.  That morning I wrote down “It’s time to start encouraging more reverence.  If you feel moved to receive Jesus on your tongue, on your knees, with a veil on or simply pray more outwardly reverent…do it.  Don’t be less reverent than you’re called to be because of the eyes of others.  You’re not holier, but want to be holy.”

       The move towards reverence and traditional celebration of Mass at St. Jerome and Holy Redeemer has been organic, not orchestrated.  It’s not about me, but my and your love for Him.  It doesn’t matter who sees me panting in my chair before Mass, remaining on my knee looking up at Jesus, when I turn my head towards Him during Mass, my transparent emotions, how I pray the Eucharistic prayer and how each word comes out.  To think or control how I pray would say something of my love for Jesus above others.  And when I hold up Jesus, He is there just for me and just for you.  I can’t stomach Mass being performance nor obligation.  Reverence isn’t praying Mass perfectly to show we are perfect.  It isn’t worshipping the “letter of the law” like Pharisees, but loving God in how we pray, finding that reverence is the way: inward joy, vulnerable need and prayerful love.  Dare I say, reverence is either growing or dying and please, don’t take Jesus’ Body as if we are owed it.  Receive Him on your tongue or on your palm as gently as Mary did in her arms.  Even I as an ordained priest only take Him in my hands because I must to give Him to you and still I take Him on my tongue with these hands He consecrated. With reverence shown, His love is made known.