Happy Easter

Happy Easter! He is risen! Truly He is risen!

Here's a couple of reflections and lessons I've learned today:

Leave much earlier for mass on Easter Sunday

I was only 1 mile from the church, so I left 30 minutes before mass was to start, thinking that would be plenty of time for the traffic from the previous mass to clear out. Traffic from the 7AM mass was cleared out alright! But the parking lot was already full for the 8AM mass and I had to park on a side street a block away. I thought “Uh oh. I hope I at least get a pew. I'm too old and too sore to stand for an entire mass.” I didn't get a pew, but they did have folding chairs sitting along the walls and I was able to get one at the very back of the church. One thing I can say for Bakersfield is that the Catholic community is large and for the most part, faithful. When I am able to go to daily mass occasionally, the attendance is better in Bakersfield than I've seen in Stockton or Fresno and the reverence seems more sincere, as well—I hope that doesn't come across as judgmental—it's just a subjective observation.

Easter Sunday mass is a different experience—not better, not worse, just different

From the entrance hymns to the Liturgy to the closing blessings, Easter Sunday mass is anything but ordinary. The music is more upbeat than usual (we are exclaiming the Truth of the resurrection, after all), there is more pomp in the rituals, and it always last longer than an hour. I'm not complaining. I love the Catholic mass, no matter what day or how long it runs. As long as I get to hear the Word of God proclaimed and receive Christ in the Eucharist, I'm a happy camper.

I was surprised that I knew the refrain by heart to the hymn “Rain Down”. I don't know if I particularly care for the song, but it was good that the music director chose a song I could participate in without a song sheet. They were provided in the pews, but not to those of us sitting along the wall.

Of course there are no kneelers when one is in temporary seating, so when the Eucharistic Prayer was being said I could only kneel on one knee. (Otherwise, getting up would have been too big a chore! Grunting during mass can be embarrassing!) I'm not overly pious (I think) but I feel less reverent when I can't kneel on both knees when the rubrics of the mass say to kneel. At the same time, (and in retrospect I know I was wrong and judgmental here) I felt somehow more reverent than most of the others in the temporary seating who remained seated for the most important prayer of the mass. Mea Culpa.

On Easter Sunday there are a couple of rites performed that are supposed to remind us of our baptisms. At the beginning of mass, the celebrant blesses some water, then walks up and down each aisle sprinkling the congregation with it while say a blessing. At this morning's mass, he hit every aisle except the one I was in. I was feeling kind of left out. I know that I am still blessed even though no water actually touches me and there's no special “magic” if I'm missed, but I felt sad for some reason. The 2^nd reminder of our baptism comes after the homily, when the Nicene or Apostles Creed is omitted and our baptismal vows are repeated instead. I think over the last few years I have become more and more adamant (read that: “emotive”)when I answer “I DO!” to the questions asked by the priest.

Never doubt Jesus. He knows what you need when you need it.

When Holy Communion is distributed, there can sometimes be chaos—especially when mass is attended by so many people who only go at Christmas and Easter. The Holy Spirit gave me a little taste of humility today during Communion. As I said, I was a bit bummed out by the fact I didn't get sprinkled with the holy water at the beginning of mass. When Communion was being distributed, I was sure to be one of last to receive. That was also a bit of sadness for me. The row of people in the pews next to me stood up to start their procession and I was going to follow them. But just then, a Eucharistic minister came walking up to me and I was able to receive without leaving my place. The feeling that went over me was one of great humility. My first thought was “Wow. Who am I that the Lord would come to me? I should be going to receive HIM.” Then I mentally kicked myself for feeling slighted at the sprinkling rite and the fact that I would be one of the last to receive Him at Communion. My second thought was “Thank You, Jesus.” I know I had my priorities backward, but I'm only human, right?

I had some meditation on the 1^st and 2^nd readings and the Gospel reading today as well that tie into today's experience, but I think that's enough for now. Maybe later today I'll write some more. I probably shouldn't have take the time to write this reflection—I'm supposed to be working. Forgive me, Lord.