Have We Lost the Sense of the SACRED?

I really did not like to do it.

But it really had to be done.

For some “shock-effect”, so they say.

But for me, personally, it is just to call people to something very important.

After an English mass that I was asked to celebrate in another church, I had to use the announcement time to wake up the people who came. Actually, it started like 40 minutes before the actual mass. People started coming in the church. Not even one made a reverent bow to the Blessed Sacrament. The people who were there earlier were all talking as if they just got out of the classroom after a boring 2-hour lecture... not even a whisper... yes, plain, loud talk... and laughter, too! Not even one prayed silently to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and started talking to one another as if they were a tour-group waiting at the pre-departure area of the airport. The children who were with them sat down as if they were sofas.

Then, the mass started. Great singing. Yet, there were a lot of mothers who did not even bother to correct their kids. Everybody was standing but one boy was all bored and just sitting down. One boy was chewing gum till the end of the mass. That same boy was so busy with his baseball cards. Two little girls just kept on running and running as if they were olympic athletes. One little boy just kept on shouting while the mother just focused on the missalette in her hands. Of course, the clothes. Yes, their clothes! The usual clothes that you wear when you go out of the house. Not the ones you wear on formal parties, weddings or funerals. Not the ones you wear on job applications. Only the usual one. Not the ones you worthily wear in church.

And so I had to say my mind.

What happened to the sense of the sacred?

What happened to the value we have for the Holy Mass, the church, Sunday as the Lord’s day, even the external disposition worthy of offering to God? Have people lost their sense of respect to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that they come to treat the church in the same way as a social hall?

Some faces twitched as I spoke my mind. I was careful not to let it become a mere “personal” grievance against mediocrity. I knew that some of those faces were telling me, “We don’t deserve to be judged! God knows what is in our hearts, even if our external dispositions aren’t good for you!” Well, if I really have to switch to my “personal” view, I always go with the principle that there is a great link between what is in the heart and what is external. Your heart and your clothes have a link. Definitely, so is the link between your heart and your twitching face!

The organ could not immediately play the introduction to the Final Song. She lost her copy? Was she crying? I don’t know. But all I had to do was change as fast as I could and get away from the place. I did not like them to feel my kindling anger. I also did not like to hear their apologies just that early. I wanted them to think. I wanted them to evaluate. I wanted them to at least feel the shock and get to something more concrete.

Ah... the sacred!

I remember the Sunday Best Barong of my aspirantate days.

The matching pants for that barong.

The shoes. The special socks... those which I

did not wear during school days!

I remember the Saturday singing classes. I reminisce the music played on Sunday mornings. The free time. The free games. The softdrinks on the dining table!

These reminded us of Sundays!

These reminded us of something special... some SACRED day!

Picture taken from: http://www.gettyimages.co.jp/detail/3242588/Hulton-Archive