Catagory: If it weren't so funny I'd cry

I came across this recently on a site on the Traditional (Tridentine) Latin Mass:

"IF there is no Traditional Mass anywhere around," some people wonder, "What is a person to do?"

On very rare occasions, I have had to attend a Novus Ordo Mass on a Sunday (there was one time in 2006 that the snow was so bad, I was forced to attend Mass at the local parish). And there's only the Novus Ordo for daily Mass.

.

There are a few things I do to get through it.

.

The first trick is simply keeping your eyes closed. There are a lot of infuriating things that go on at the Novus Ordo that you completely miss simply by not looking. Even if you can't physically be at a Tridentine Mass, you can always use your imagination and imagine being at the traditional Mass, with its atmosphere more conducive to prayer.

.

Another thing I have done, when having to be there on a Sunday, has been to bring my old missal along with me, and read the prayers for the traditional Mass instead of reading along with what the priest or deacon would be saying. That's another thing that makes praying a lot easier at the Novus Ordo Mass!

.

One of the most aggravating things I find at the Novus Ordo is the so-called "Sign of Peace". I say "so called" because there are so many people who really believe it's not supposed to be a "sign of peace" but a "sign of conviviality". You see people waving to each other or having a quick chat and a laugh while that's going on – not to mention all the couples who like to use that as a time to 'make out'.

.
What I usually do, besides simply not watching all that going on, is to keep my hands in my pockets. There is, after all, only one proper thing to do with the hands during Mass – keep them folded – and if you're not going to do that, then keeping your hands in your pockets is just as proper as anything else. One time I was not near anybody else in the pew and had my eyes closed during the "sign of peace", and somebody walked over to where I was and grabbed my hand to shake it. Ever since that happened, I've kept my hands in my pockets; nobody can shake your hand when it's in your pocket! This is also why I'm always careful to make sure I'm on the end of the pew. If the pew fills up, I can usually find a way to slip out the end of the pew and put some distance between myself and the overly-social types who seem to just be passing the time during the Mass until they get to the fun part where the sign of peace starts.

.

At Communion time, I like to keep my eyes down at the feet of the person in front of me while walking up. That way I don't get infuriated watching the awful way most people receive Communion at a Novus Ordo Mass. I also find that being in the back of the church makes it easier to cross Communion lines if necessary to avoid receiving Communion from an extraordinary minister.

.

That's what I do to put up with the Novus Ordo Mass when I can't get to a traditional Mass. Probably other people have their own techniques for keeping what's going on from distracting them from prayer. Whatever one does, it's certainly better than attending an Orthodox Liturgy or a Tridentine Mass at a church or chapel not in union with Rome just to avoid the Novus Ordo.

.

Comments

[Tracy]

Let us repeat to ourselves: "We have to pray for our brothers, we have to pray for our brothers..."