General Instruction of the Roman Mass (GIRM)
There is this fellow who went to prison to celebrate the “Body and Blood of Christ”! “Corpus Christi”. Kinda like “what do you have in mind for me today Lord?
On this day a new lifer inmate arrived. I have found him to be very knowledgeable of the Catholic Faith. His spiritual leaning comes through ever so strongly. Suffice it to say he favors the inclusion of all the options celebrated at what is referred to as a “High Mass”. Singing – everything option allowed by Mr. GRIM!
Now in the room another lifer inmate who clearly indicates a preference for a simpler celebration – i.e. the “Low Mass”! Not too much into singing etc.
See any Conflict?
After a long laborious discussion of options a “Communion Service is celebrated since no priest is available. The readings used for this day can be found in “Feast of Corpus Christi”!
Could be there existed some conflict within the community in the readings. The inmates proclaimed the First and Second Readings. My friend proclaimed the Gospel according to John!
Jesus sought to teach the people about the crushed and broken grains of wheat and the crushed and broken grapes. Hmmm! It was the crushing that transformed the wheat and grapes into a mix where the individual parts could not be discerned. In fact they had been transformed into unity of oneness! The symbol of dying in one form necessary to make way and enable a rising in a new united spiritual form we call the sacred people of God! Emphasis is on being united which can only happen when one is willing to forgive as in the “Our Father”.
My friend stood in disbelief when the inmates were sent – these two fellows brought up various reputations that had been heard and spread apparently not just this prison but within the greater state prison system (multiple prisons – the underground word spreads!) My friend didn’t have a clue in regard to the specific’s of these.
Oh my!! Imagine we just celebrated the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ and the spirit of division struck with surprising speed! Yes “What do you have in mind for me today Lord it a nerve”!
What’s the Objective of the Liturgy?:
Now what??? A lesson in GRIM is forthcoming! It is not up for debate and not a vote! The one who presides is the the decider-in-chief! Why? Objective of the Liturgy is to follow the Grace and Spirit of Ordination. It’s not that people can not or are not allowed to express the options they prefer! Certainly one who presides will listen with an open ear.
Hidden in the Conflict is the potential Spirit that divides:
The question hidden in the conflict of preferences is “not the individual” but rather the spirit and grace needed to form the unity of the Body of Christ! This applies to every group of people who seek to become “the Body and Blood of Christ in the world full of the complexities of human preference. Perhaps better said can each individual person empty themselves – die to self – in order that the grace and unity of spirit of the Body and Blood of Christ can be set sent into the world as each individual travels the road ahead on the journey Home!