I remember when Mass used to be said in Latin, and the priest had his back to the congregation through most of it. I was an Altar Boy during those masses and I only knew which prayers to say and what actions to assist the priest in because of the ‘cheat sheets’ I was given to use ‘in case you forget’ (which I always did). I wasn’t really participating in the Mass; I was acting in a role.
So when the changes came to pray the Mass in the vernacular (the common language of the parish), I was really happy! I started to understand the importance of the Order of the Mass, as well as the prayers I was saying. I understood “who I was and what God expected me to do.” By the way, not everyone was happy with the changes. I still chuckle when I think of the countless times that I heard someone say, “Guitar Mass?! More like a ‘hippie Mass’!” And there are still a great number of people who would rather not attend Mass than to attend the ‘heretical abomination of Vatican II!’ I truly feel sorry for them and pray for them often.
The Gospel of Mark today (Mark 7:1-13) makes me realize what a blessing we receive when rituals are changed or taken away, because it makes us analyze why we were doing them in the first place!
Take, for example, what happens when a parish that has always knelt after receiving Communion is told by the bishop that they will stand until all have received and the remaining Hosts are reposed (as it is in my own diocese). There's usually a big uproar. Why?
Personally, I would rather kneel. It reminds me to be humble. Well, can't I be humble without it? Frankly, Jesus deserves the most respect that we can muster, which means I should lie prostrate on the floor, except I don't want to draw attention to myself and away from Jesus. But out of obedience to my bishop and his explanation that we are showing that we are truly “in communion” with our brothers and sisters in Christ by remaining in the standing position, I comply.
Sadly, there are many Catholics who kneel simply because it is what they were taught by their parents, or religious tutors; not from genuine, heart-felt reverence for Christ. For them, it's merely a human tradition. Jesus says in today's Gospel reading (when He quotes the prophet Isaiah), "This people pays me lip service but their heart is far from me. Empty is the reverence they do me ...."
Every ritual gesture and body posture during Mass should change us. Making the sign of the cross should put us more in touch with the Lord who died on the cross for us. Blessing ourselves with holy water should renew our baptismal connection to God and separate us from the worldliness that's outside the church. Praying the "Our Father" should unite us to the people next to us.
"Disregarding God's commandment while clinging to human tradition" occurs whenever we consider a ritual to be more important than a person. In the hierarchy of Church laws, the rules that prescribe most rituals have always been changeable "human traditions" designed to drive home to the heart a true practice of the faith; they are of lesser importance than the unchangeable laws of faith and morality that prescribe how to treat one another.
The bottom-line question is: What are my motives for doing—or not doing—a ritual? Will it increase my humility? Will it enhance my relationship with God and with the community? Does it spring from the heart or is my heart far from God at this moment?
May love rule our rituals, and may our actions never be empty tradition! Spoiler alert about the movie; Tevye learns that clinging to some traditions can actually keep us from learning God's will for us.
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