Back at Mass

It’s been about four months since I’ve been at Mass.

I don’t like that. But I see no point in kvetching about the COVID-19 pandemic, or blaming Minnesota’s governor for trying to keep Minnesotans alive, or our bishop for cooperating with the governor.

Mass is important. Vital. It’s the heart of Catholic worship. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324)

But there’s more to being Catholic than getting to Mass once a week. And this isn’t the first time something’s interfered with our access to the Eucharist. We’ve got procedures for this sort of thing. Like Spiritual Communion. (April 4, 2020; March 21, 2020)

My obligations include protecting human life and upholding the common good. (Catechism, One/Two/Article 2 Participation in Social Life/II: The Common Good, 2558–2300)

That’s why I’ve been wearing a face mask in public, and avoid being in public except when it’s necessary.

Wearing a face mask during Mass wasn’t nearly as bothersome as my worst-case imaginings. The process of getting the mask off, receiving the Eucharist in my hand, transferring the Host to my mouth and resetting the mask was as intricate as it sounds. But not overly difficult.

Reason to Hope

This Sunday’s first Bible reading was Wisdom 12:13, 16–19. Two things jumped out at me.

“For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke insolence.”

“You taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are righteous must be kind;
And you gave your children reason to hope
that you would allow them to repent for their sins.”
(Wisdom 12:17, 19)

God is large and in charge.

“Our God is in heaven
and does whatever he wills.”
(Psalms 115:3)

And God is merciful.

“Indeed, before you the whole universe is like a grain from a balance,
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
“But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance.
(Wisdom 11:22–23)

Being allowed to repent for my sins? I like that. I like that a lot.

It’s been a while since I talked about sin. And how I’m supposed to live.

I should love God and my neighbor. And see everyone as my neighbor. No exceptions. Sin is what happens when I fail to do that. Sin is an offense against reason, truth and God. (Matthew 5:43–44, 22:36–40, Mark 12:28–31; Luke 10:25–37; Catechism, 1706, 1776, 1825, 1849–1851, 1955)

Believing that I should love God and neighbors is a good idea. So is acting like I believe it.

I’ve talked about this sort of thing before:

• “Executed: Daniel Lewis Lee”
  (July 14, 2020)
• “The Masked Minnesotan”
  (June 12, 2020)
• “Holy Week: Staying Home”
  (April 4, 2020)
• “Mass Suspended: COVID-19 and the Common Good”
  (March 17, 2020)
• “Rules, Principles, and a Defrocked Cardinal”
  (February 17, 2019)