Raise Your Hands If You're Sure...or just want to pray like a Protestant
What's up with this somewhat recent fad of raising your arms during Mass? I've noticed that this is usually in conjunction with holding hands during the Our Father. I know why Protestants do that during their get togethers... it's because it's their 'sign of unity'. Ummm, fellow Catholics, we already have a 'sign of unity'. It's called The Eucharist.
I've also noticed a lot of hand raising during the Consecration. Why are some of the laity doing this? Do they think that the priest somehow needs their help? But then again, in this day and age of 'Minister of This... and Minister of That', hey... why not? Even down the road from where I live, there's a somewhat Catholic parish, Inaccurate Deception (they even once listed themselves in the phone book as the 'Liberal Catholic Church'), anyhow, they even have a position known as Minister of the Mop. I kid you not.
Hey, what the hell... EVERYONE is a Minister! Sheesh, is it any wonder why most Catholics don't hold priests in high regard? Hey, what the hell... too many Catholic priests don't even hold their own priesthood in high regard, so why should the laity?
Oh, and before I forget... quit wearing damn shorts and tank tops to Mass! And don't give me any of this "as long as I go to Mass, that's all that should matter" garbage. Our outward appearance really does reflect our inward disposition towards God. Quit dressing like your on your way to a barbeque at the beach. You're on your way to The House of God, for crying out loud!
'Nuff said.
posted by Kevin Whiteman at
4:31 PM
11 Comments:
Amen! Hallelujah.
I hope that doesn't break with the Lenten lack of Allelulia.
Depends on how they're raising their hands...
Is it overenthusiasm (like the bottom pic)?
Or is it the classic orans posture, still used by the faithful in other Rites, and always legitimate in ours?
I feel like a schmuck because I never shake hands during the Peace - I just kind of nod. As for attire, you forgot to mention the excessive use of thongs that rise like 6 inches up a woman's back, especially when she's kneeling. I couldn't even stand to go for communion after that once. At least there was no 2 drink minimum....
A. Carlton Sallet
Extraordinary under-Minister of the Assistant to the Blessed Pew Cleaning Minister, pro-tem
Dave, let's be honest. The classic orans posture that you mentioned was never... and I mean NEVER intended for the laity in of Latin Rite.
Such is simply another perfect example of the Creeping Protestantism that has infected Holy Mother Church for the past 40+ years.
First off. The whole "orans" thing: Complete BS! Never was, never will be "OK" for laity within the Latin Rite. Just another example of the continuing Protantization of the Faith, and gutless priests who refuse to tell those in the "worship space" to knock off that crap.
Second (and this is a pet peeve of mine): Dress code for all those attending a Latin Rite Mass (the TLM or the NO Mass). Men need to have at least dress trousers (slacks are for women per my old USMC Drill Instructor), dress shoes, shirt w/ tie. Women should wear a dress or skirt that covers the knees, top that covers the shoulders and...wait...you know this is coming...ALL females should have their heads covered at ALL times while in the church, as long as it is a true Catholic church, with the Real Presence.
Now go ahead, and fire away at me. (But just remember. Even the poorest around the world, always had one good dress, shirt, etc saved just for Holy Mass up until 1969. And ALL women around the world covered their heads. BTW: Please show me the Vatican II document that stated that women no longer need to cover their grapes. That's "heads" for you non-Marine types).
But hell, who cares, right? At least I'm going to Mass. Therefore, who cares if I'm dressed like a whore?
Semper Fi-
One word of caution here fellas (and you will note you are all fellas):
Christ built His Church for sinners, and some of us sin pretty badly. I attended a weekday Mass the other day, and saw two people crying after confession and then queue to receive communion. I apologize for the next part; it's rather graphic:
The male was literally clothed in rags, and ravashed by AIDS. The track marks on his arms were fresh. The woman was a prostitute, crying like a baby, and stinking to high Heaven. She had a - ahem - dried crusty substance on her face.
They received communion.
Did Christ did not die for them first of all? He who is first is last, etc.?
Dress codes may unitentionally keep people away from where they need to be.
I'm just sayin.
CSM,
Remember the song, "You do the hokey pokey and you shake it all about..."? Is that what the blue jean clad chicks in the bottom photo in your post are doing in church?
Carleton,
I'm not takingabout a "dress code", per se. I'm more speaking of "dress your best. Like you are going see someone who is legitimatly important".
The current fad of purposly dressing like you're on your way to the beach is simply disrespectful.
If tattered overalls is the best you have... then tatered overalls it is
PreVatII:
1) If it's done in other Rites, it's Catholic. Other people may have picked it up, but it was ours first.
2) We've borrowed from the East before: the Gloria, the Kyrie, some devotional prayers and several sacred images. Nothing prevents us from borrowing again.
3) We've occasionally adapted from Protestants in the old days. The Advent Wreath, for instance.
4) Not every "innovation" is a bad thing. If there is a good basis for doing something, and if it stands the test of time well, then it is good.
The Wife beckons. May blog about it later.
Negative on your last a. carlton & dave. Think you guys missed the point: I fully understand that there will always be those who can not dress for Holy Mass as I had written. But what pisses this Marine off is the complete "slobization" of most American Roman Catholics since 1969. How did we go from properly dressed men & women to the worst dressed in all of Christendom?
Could it be when we went from Mozart to "On Eagles Wings?" Could it be when we went from "the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven" to a Protestant community meal?
Remember: Would the same people who dress for Mass on Sundays as if they are going to the beach, dress that way for a friends wedding? Of course not. But hell, who cares? It's only Mass!
Semper Fi-
I agree on dressing well for Sunday Mass, actually. A weekday Mass might be one thing, or if you're on your way to or from work with no time to change (I've been in that situation), but if you're going, you ought to be dresed decently.
As far as the Protestants dress, that depends from place to place. The megachurches are often casual, but many churches insist on their members dressing up on Sundays, even (and especially, it seems) the poorer ones.
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