How was church today, if you went?
I've noticed the priest who has been filling in the last few weeks says "by the way" a lot and I have to stop myself from laughing when they do now.
There was some talk today of "the nations" and "our nation" I suppose since today is 4th of July weekend.
Specifically, during prayers we were asked "to pray for our nation this independence day to live out the values of life, liberty, and justice."
and during The Eucharist the priest said something to the effect that our nation has been molded into one from people of many different lands and like how grain comes together to make one bread and grapes one wine and in The Eucharist we become one body and instruments of God's peace.
Not exactly what they said, but I am paraphrasing from what they were trying to get across (I think?)
I think it's fairly easy to read into these a kind of capitulation to nationalism in-a-way, even if well meaning.
Still I think The Gospel should (and does) challenge us, especially on the eve of such a holiday.
I couldn't help but be reminded of the readings from a few weeks before where the Holy Spirit descended and people from all over spoke and understood each other as if in their own language.
And in today's reading of Luke where Jesus sends out the disciples
"Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!
And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you....Whenever you enter a town and they receive you...heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say...nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that town."
Obviously I am preaching to the choir here, but I don't think we can honestly say the United States is a "house of peace" or as a "town" has truly received The Lord.
Nor can we be molded into one as a nation or a world until things like white supremacy that still lie at the heart of this country socially and institutionally are done away with.
Idk I am rambling, just trying to process and interpret some of the Mass today.
Was something similar touched upon at a service you went to?
Let me know and have a good day.
Before the Supreme Court decision they’d always encourage people to vote “for the candidate that cares about kids.”
Like every service?
Granted I haven't been attending this church very long, but I can only remember one time the priest saying the words "vote" I think it was after a series of mass shootings as an example of ways you can live out your faith or something.
They've never mentioned abortion, except today when they were asking how we deal with the turmoil in our country that seems to happen every day, how to deal with the overturing of roe v wade was an example.
....kind odd considering they are Catholic.
Interesting! Totally agree that the gospels should challenge nationalism especially on these holidays. I haven’t been to mass in a while but one Fourth of July weekend I heard this Jesuit give a homily in northern Michigan where he said that we should call the Blue Angels the Blue Devils because they rain death and destruction. It was soooo cool! Wish more masses were like that.