Get Out of the Boat
Posted by: tony on 08/18/2008 06:07 PM
Updated by: tony on 08/18/2008 06:07 PM
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Expires: 09/18/2008 12:00 AM
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Last Sunday we heard the gospel story most often referred to as "Jesus walks on water". In his homily, our pastor explained that this is not what it's really about. The title of the reading should be "Peter walks on water".
Our pastor is probably the best homilist I have had the pleasure to listen to on a regular basis. He takes common Gospel readings and points to an entirely different lesson leaving you with the cognitive dissonance you might get looking at one of those optical illusion pictures and finally seeing the "scene behind the scene". The main thrust of this scene behind the scene is a frightened man who puts his faith and trust in Jesus and "gets out of the boat". (Okay, he slipped a little. We all do from time to time.)
I got thinking about this after reading Mark Shea's spanking of radical traditionalists ("rad-traddies"). In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit I'm somewhat of a traditionalist. As a matter of fact, I had somewhat "radical" tendencies as I became aware of the beauty of the Mass that I had enjoyed as a child and had longed for subconciously since.
Luckily, the flame of anger and bitterness in me has subsided to a soft comfortable glow of traditionalist embers. Hopefully, it makes people want to bask in my warmth rather than be fearful of being burned by the flames. Also, it makes me a more joyful person. I can suffer bad liturgy because I understand that this will all be resolved in God's time and the very minor suffering can help burn off some of the obligatory purgatory time.
I've done my time raging against Vatican II. I wandered in the desert for almost 40 years due to the abysmal implementation of the council when I was a child. But that was God's will for me. Had I not done that, I would not be where I am today. Now I have decided to simply be a tool in the hand of God. If I can prompt small liturgical changes, it won't be from anger. It will be from a profound gratitude for the sacraments and a desire to see the Mass celebrated in the best way it can, now.
Also, it won't be from "hiding out" in a extraordinary use parish (though I enjoy "recharging" my traditionalist batteries monthly with my wife at the local Franciscan hermitage for First Friday extraordinary form). It will be by engaging the parish I'm a member of, adding seasoning to the mix. We have to remember that the more outlandish the parish is, the more it needs a calm and leveling traditionalist viewpoint.
But back to "getting out of the boat".
We have to step out of our comfort zone with regards to things we can do as traditionalists. Some of us focus so much on the liturgy that we don't think of other things that can be accomplished, such as:
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Serving on an art and environment committee and offering suggestions on how to make your church look more beautiful and awe inspiring (think of a viable replacement for the felt banners).
- Lead the Liturgy of the Hours (Lauds and/or Vespers) periodically to introduce folks to that particularly Catholic form of worship.
- Start a rosary group and pray the rosary on a regular basis.
- Talk to your pastor about Eucharistic adoration and benediction.
- Start a Schola Cantorum for chant in your area. You may need to combine multiple parishes to get enough people but when folks are exposed to chant, they may learn to prefer it to their standard OCP fare.
But most importantly, be welcoming. Help people get involved. And do not get discouraged. For example if you start praying Vespers once a month, for a while you might be the only one there. Keep it up, praying of any kind is never wasted.
Most of all, keep the faith.
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