Straining at Gnats to Avoid Charity

Let me be very clear; what I'm about to say is going to tick a lot of people off, but so be it. However, I'm going to preface my scathing rant with a little context lest some random person come along and think that it's about them. It's not. I am not writing about a particular person, but rather, a widespread behavior that NEEDS to change. Dear readers...condemn yourself or exempt yourself. Myself...I'm doing both.

A few years ago when I experienced my conversion, I was so thirsty for knowledge that I just devoured what I could. I went to Catholic Answers forums, and many wonderful people there answered many of my questions. It was overall of great benefit to go there, and I often found myself in a forum with regard to liturgy. I am drawn to beauty (through my artistic side, perhaps), and even in my time of dissent and simply being lost, I avoided bad liturgy when I could, which ultimately protected me from becoming involved in parishes that had the worst abuses. (I'll not name any names.)

In any case, once I learned the truth, once I learned objectively what was proper and that my own instincts had been correct, I became quite angry. There I was, a "revert" (for lack of a more precise term), and was angry that for so many years, proper catechesis had been kept from me. In trying to come home, I'd been subjected to horrendous liturgical abuses, and quite likely, invalid communion. (Ironically, on that occasion that was likely a good thing...I was in mortal sin.)

So it was that I went through a very angry stage, being quite resentful at what is wrong in the Church, taking personally different things that should not be occurring in liturgy, in catechesis, etc.

I began this blog when still in that stage, and many of those early posts are still up; I've left them as a testament to my own journey as I've progressed as a Catholic. Those who go back and read what I've left may even think I'm a different author now. And that's as it should be.

Early Conversion

I've observed this same kind of anger in others...both in reverts and converts from other faiths whose eyes have been opened to both the glory of the Church...and the shadows. It seems to be a more or less "normal" stage in conversion, and I have a theory on this.

When someone finally comes to the Fount of Mercy, when they finally recognize Christ for who He is, when they fall in love with Him and His Bride, the Church, well, quite honestly it becomes spiritually, emotionally, and even physically painful to see that beauty diminished by practices that are truly abusive; such as a priest changing the Eucharistic prayers, "dancers" contorting like Herod's daughter, social statistic reports by some GI-Jane-looking DRE in place of a homily about the scriptures, etc. It's terribly painful to recognize that the liturgy, that time of worship owed to GOD has become a celebration of the people, a hoe-down which has as it's theme song "See-how-great-we-art!"

I suggest those people are RIGHT to be angry, and that anger is just, for when something is wrong, often anger inspires the desire to do something to correct the problem.

I went through this stage, and my goodness, I was nasty! At the time, I had not experienced a Latin Mass, either Novus Ordo or in the Extraordinary Form (TLM). And I have to say...I thank GOD for that!

My parish isn't bad. I have my complaints, all of which has to do with the modern architecture of the church (it's ugly and laterally-focused), and the music (McHaugen with a side of Haas, served with the optional Joncas). But our priests are holy, orthodox, and if I were deaf, I would see nothing but God's glory on the altar at Mass.

Now, with that context....

Last night on a blog that has to do with liturgy, I got into a discussion with someone else with regard to a very common abuse...holding hands during the Our Father. And referenced the Orans position as well. NEITHER belong in the Mass; they are innovations that make no theological sense.

My comment with regard to that was that I was forced into that a few years ago. I was visiting a parish for a conference, and was in maybe the 2nd row, so not twenty feet from me was Christ Himself on the altar. The man standing next to me was staring at me intently and expectantly, waiting for my hand. I realized that this was one of THOSE parishes, and had to make a decision. He knew I saw him. Had I just closed my eyes and folded my hands, it would quite literally have been rude.

The man didn't know me; and clearly, he thought this was proper practice. He didn't know any better. Had I done what I preferred, he might have thought it was a rejection of him, who knows? I looked at the altar, and realized that Jesus Himself also waited for my decision; follow the letter of the law, or act in charity and give the soul next to me the benefit of the doubt?

I opted for charity, even as I squirmed.

And I'd do the same thing today, and yes, I'd STILL squirm inwardly.

My friends, let me tell you, when I shared that incident, not only did the other person disagree and insist the ONLY thing to do was to follow the rubrics and not hold hands, but someone else decided to jump all over me and ask if I also support the priest changing the words of the consecration or other Eucharistic prayers.

WHAT!?

And yet, that has often been my experience in issues surroundign liturgy. One cannot have an opinion unless it lines up with the black and the red TO THE VERY LETTER. Never mind that it's a situation in the pew, not on the altar.

Now, before some random person shows up and adds another non sequitor argument, understand this:

I DO NOT SUPPORT LITURGICAL ABUSE EITHER ON THE PART OF THE PRIEST OR THE PART OF THE LAITY!

I DO NOT SUPPORT HAND-HOLDING OR THE ORANS DURING THE OUR FATHER!

Now, FOCUS:

We cannot follow the law unless we also remember the rule of charity; if we forget the latter, we make the former completely without merit.

It's the same thing happening today as in the time of Christ...it's exactly what the Pharisees did.

Oh, yes, I went there.

So often, bloggers, commenters, etc., (I am speaking ONLY of laity here) will speak their opinions on liturgy as though they have the ultimate authority. They are so bound by the exact words and almost seem to have a fear of offending God if they do or say anything that might in the slightest be a departure from the rubrics.

Personally, I'm sick and tired of all that anger and bitterness. It's one of the reasons I will read the blog of the author in question, but haven't commented much, and tend not to read the comments. I can't stand the arrogance.

And one of the reasons I REFUSE to be a Rad-Trad:

Over and over this semester, in class, reading the Saints, they emphasize that love of God necessitates love of neighbor. If we love the law so much that we ignore the needs of our neighbor, then we have also failed to love God. The two cannot be separated!

This is NOT "lateral theology" but scriptural truth!

Yes, we NEED to make sure we follow the rubrics that apply to us as the laity, we NEED to continue to work for proper liturgies and reforms that involve proper adherance to what Vatican II REALLY said (ie Latin, Gregorian Chant, etc.) We NEED to honor Christ in the way He deserves. We NEED to be faithful, to follow the directives given by the Church in her wisdom, and we need to honor God through these means.

But that does NOT give us permission, on a small thing, to sacrifice charity in order to check a box stating that we followed the rubrics and prayed the Our Father properly. THAT IS SPIRITUAL PRIDE! It has NO PLACE at Mass!

Now, my parish doesn't hold hands. Some families maybe do, and the occasional visitor who doesn't know any better. Sometimes we have to meet people where they are at. If a visitor comes to your parish and takes your hand during the Our Father, thinking it's what she is supposed to do, what is better? Pull away with a scowl and fold your hands and close yourself off? Or smile, take her hand, and then afterward, wish her peace? The visitor isn't an idiot...she would recognize during the prayer that this parish doesn't do that, but would be comforted that her gaff was accepted and covered by the stranger next to her. And maybe your charity would open the door to a conversation later if she wanted to ask why your parish DOESN'T hold hands?

You can't have a teachable moment unless you open the door to the possibility.

Spiritual Pride is a real problem for all of us. We ALL fall into it. I do, you do, and we all need to guard against it.

That's why I don't want to be a "rad-trad". It's one of the biggest things that pushes me away from the traditional form of the Mass; in too many of the devotees, I see the Pharisees, not Christ. I see a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon to strain at gnats, but not a lot of people willing to be open to the possibility that there might be a bigger lesson.

Even errors glorify God in ways we can't immediately observe.

Our Church is very divided, my friends. It doesn't have to be. Like it or not, we are the Mystical Body, we do all have a place, there IS a way to remain faithful and loving at the same time, to maintain the integrity while not forgetting the soul of our neighbor.

We have our problems..but do we need to make them worse?

The theological virtue of Charity is foundational to our spirituality; if we're angry and bitter and arrogant and making non-sequitor attacks, we don't have charity. If we're focusing on following each little letter of the rubrics to the detriment of an individual in a specific circumstance, then not only are we obsessive-compulsive, but we're Pharisees.

We cannot advance in holiness if we don't have charity. Yes, sometimes charity means being harsh. But we need to remember that God NEVER reveals sin without revealing His Mercy. If we're going to criticize sin (which we should!), then we need to remember Mercy, and that can only come about if we have charity.

I would be a rad-trad if I could; but with what I see from the liturginazis on that side, I can't associate with them without fearing I'll go back down the angry path where too many of them seem to remain, paralyzed in spiritual obsessive-compulsion.

So for now, I'll stay where I am, continue to work on my own spiritual pride and try to focus on loving my neighbor (where I gravely fail myself).

If you care to begin, here's a match....let the flaming begin.
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