“The Mass is Not a Celebration”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
March 2 – 3, 2024
Gospel: John 2: 13-25
13 When the time of the Jewish Passover was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 and in the Temple He found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there. 15 Making a whip out of cord, He drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers’ coins, knocked their tables over 16 and said to the dove sellers, ‘Take all this out of here and stop using My Father’s house as a market.’ 17 Then His disciples remembered the words of scripture: I am eaten up with zeal for Your house. 8 The Jews intervened and said, ‘What sign can You show us that You should act like this?’ 19 Jesus answered, ‘Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ 20 The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple: are you going to raise it up again in three days?’ 21 But He was speaking of the Temple that was His Body, 22 and when Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the scripture and what He had said. 23 During His stay in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He did, 24 but Jesus knew all people and did not trust Himself to them; 25 He never needed evidence about anyone; He could tell what someone had within.
One of today’s readings is from the Old Testament, and I was reminded of this one gentleman I was helping prepare for death. We were going through the General Confession and when we got to the Fifth Commandment, I asked him, “Have you ever killed anybody?” He said, “That didn’t need killing?” Okay! He’s got a point. I forgot that he had worked in Special Operations. The correct translation of the Fifth Commandment is that “You shall not take a life unjustly.” You have the right to protect yourself and others if someone is about to be killed. In fact, you have a moral obligation to protect yourself and others. “But He said, ‘Do not kill.” No, no, no. He said, “Do not take a life unjustly.”
Today’s Gospel says that there were sheep and oxen in the church. I’m thinking that Abigail who cleans the church is lucky we don’t have sheep and oxen. She’s got enough to deal with already. You would be shocked at the stuff people leave in the pews like fingernail clippings, dirty Kleenexes, and the worst of all – sparkles from dresses. Sometimes she has to wear a hazmat suit to clean the church. This church is just as precious as the temple. Where you are sitting, like God told Moses, is a holy temple because it contains the very presence of our Lord – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Here we have presented the Holy Sacrifice of Christ which is always before the Father in Heaven pleading on our behalf. His holy sacrifice is made present during the Mass. That is why we ask for reverence and silence. I’ve been trained by professionals in hurting people’s feelings. Because of how sacred this is, if someone walks away with the Eucharist, I will stop them and embarrass them if I have to. I vowed to protect the Blessed Sacrament with my life. It’s one of those vows we take that most people don’t know about. That’s how holy this is.
When I was a young priest, people wanted to celebrate Catholic Schools Week during the Mass to which I said, “On its face, that’s blasphemous and at its worst heretical.” We don’t celebrate anything at the Mass. “Woohoo! We’re celebrating somebody’s life!” It’s not a party followed by dinner, and with my family, the police would show up after that. The Mass is the prayer of Christ. During Catholic School Week they would bring up books and basketballs. No – no – no. Did you see that at the foot of the Cross? No. Did you see that at the Last Supper? No. So, they are not a part of it.
Nobody but the servers and I should be inside the altar area. None of the junk from Hobby Lobby should be inside the altar area. This is a sacred spot, and nobody but the sacristans and the priest are supposed to be here. Nobody but the sacristans and the priest are supposed to touch the Sacred Vessel. That’s how sacred this is. The Mass is not a high school play where everyone runs around doing stuff. That is foreign to our tradition. In documents on the liturgy, someone said, “The faithful could participate in the Mass where each fulfills their proper role.” That is correct to a point. Your proper role is to offer yourself to the priest who functions In persona Christi (in the person of Christ) and to be emulated on the altar in the sacrifice. It is not your role to run up and down the aisles doing stuff. No. Nada. I have had Mass in a lot of different places, and we didn’t have all that. Know what? It worked just as well.
Some of the Masses have been interesting. I was doing a Mass at the hospital and one of the vets who was under-medicated said, “I’m a saint.” Not yet, but soon! Another vet said, “My wife died. I’m going to be a priest.” Alright. I’ll write a letter for you. You have to be flexible when you are offering Mass in hospitals and nursing homes. Active participation doesn’t call for physical participation. Active participation is interior participation . . . it’s the sacrifice. When I say Mass at nursing homes, most of the people are snoring. Are they actively participating? Yes, interiorly. Maybe not exteriorly. Active participation is interior devotion.
Saint Pierre-Julien Eymard wrote a wonderful series of books on the Eucharist. His books were filled with such beautiful meditations on the Eucharist and our Lord’s presence at the Mass. Saint Eymard wrote about there being four elements of the Mass; however, I remember five elements: adoration, worship, petition, expiation, and thanksgiving. Those are the elements of the Mass, and that is what we do here. Adoration before God, worship, expiation, sacrifices offered for forgiveness of our sins, petition – asking for forgiveness of our sins, and thanksgiving which is probably the most overlooked one. The Mass is not our prayer; it is the prayer of Christ. Each of us, according to our vocation, can be made part of that sacrifice. I, as the priest, become In persona Christi (in the person of Christ) and offer the sacrifice. You, as the people of God, become part of the sacrifice just like the Blessed Mother, Mary of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and John the Apostle.
This is why we don’t change things like having eulogies at funerals. There are no eulogies in the Mass. None at all. Ah-Ah-Ah. Not allowed. The Mass is a prayer of Christ. This place is sacred. When you go to the cemetery in Salisbury near the hospital, it’s all on camera. So, if you start doing something stupid, you are going to meet a couple of big guys with a gun and a badge. They are not going to be amused because that place is sacred. The bodies of heroes and heroines are buried there, and they are not amused with people acting stupid. So, if we can be so particular about behavior in a cemetery, how about during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? People are in the very presence of God Himself in the Most Blessed Sacrament. This is our faith. That’s why you are all here, and it’s why so many others come to Mass and behave with such devotion. It’s inspiring to me. This is God’s house, and we are all His children. We have a lot of non-Catholics here, and they are God’s children. They belong here. This is God’s house, and you are all His children.
How will you apply this message to your life? ________________________________________
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” then “Sermon Notes.” On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.” Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.” Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”
