{"id":3896,"date":"2010-01-12T10:51:20","date_gmt":"2010-01-12T10:51:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/deaconsbench\/2010\/01\/mass-as-theater-lets-go-to-sardis-and-wait-for-the-reviews.html"},"modified":"2010-01-12T10:51:20","modified_gmt":"2010-01-12T10:51:20","slug":"mass-as-theater-lets-go-to-sardis-and-wait-for-the-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2010\/01\/mass-as-theater-lets-go-to-sardis-and-wait-for-the-reviews.html","title":{"rendered":"Mass as theater: after communion, let’s go to Sardi’s and wait for the reviews …"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over at First Things,<\/a> Patrick Rostrum has attempted to write what amounts to a review of a church and its mass, with special emphasis on the homily: <\/p>\n

\nThe pre-service stillness did not last long. With the first note of the processional hymn, Charles Coffin’s “On Jordan’s Bank” (a hymn traditionally reserved for Advent but appropriate on this day, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord) the sanctuary’s main lights were dramatically switched on, and a large procession of reverent and smiling altar servers and Eucharistic ministers made its way toward the high altar. The church’s energetic and joyful pastor, George Witt, S.J., brought up the rear. Fr. Witt–a young, athletic-looking priest with closely cropped black hair and a peaceful countenance–has served as pastor at St. Ignatius Loyola since July 2009. Judging by the long line of parishioners who waited after Mass in the freezing cold to greet him, his reception has been a warm one.<\/p>\n

Fr. Witt preached his fifteen-minute homily from the sanctuary’s high and ornate bronze pulpit. He began by reminding the congregation that it was Jesus’ baptism that marked the beginning of his public life and ministry. That baptism in the Jordan, Fr. Witt noted, was the moment of Jesus’ awakening–the point at which his eyes were opened to the fact that he is the Son of God. Citing Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner, Witt explained that Mary and Joseph, the Magi, and Simeon and Anna all had glimpses of Jesus’ uniqueness. At no point, however, Fr. Witt continued, is there any indication that Jesus himself fully knew who he was–namely, the Son of God–until after his baptism. It took Jesus, then, a good deal of time to be able to see himself for who he truly was and realize his own potential.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Leaving aside the theological substance of the homily — which, to gather from the comments, are eminently debatable — I have to agree with one of the priest commenters, who took issue with (and took offense at) the very notion of ascribing a rating to a mass and a church, as if it were a Hollywood production.  You can check out the rest of the article<\/a> to see how the author ranked his experience.  <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
 Thoughts?\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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