Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

       We are back into Ordinary Time in the Church. It's summer time. You can smell grills going in the evening time. Lawn mowers anytime. People are working on their yards, gardens, decks, and outdoor projects. There are all sorts of DIY endeavors. People like to Do-It-Yourself. Or at least, sometimes, some things must be done and the only way for them to get done is for you to do it yourself, lacking means to accomplish it some other way. I suspect – in fact I hope – we’ve all attempted a DIY at some point or other. Maybe it went well. Maybe not so. Maybe it was just adequate. Maybe you were proud of your attempt, even as you swallowed your pride to call a more experienced friend, dad, or… heaven forbid, professional. It can be good to get in there & get your hands dirty, take ownership. Do it yourself.

       These days, DIY has gotten easier. Last fall, I needed to change the headlight on my car. I opened it up. I could see where it was but there was no way I was going to get my hand in there with any mobility to change out the bulb. A quick internet search and I was watching a 5-minute DIY video for my make & model… and yes, there was a trick. Something else could be easily removed, that made the task rather easy. It wasn’t readily apparent when I first looked at it (please don’t tell my Purdue University Engineering professors!). The DIY video saved me tons of time & headache.

       This all got me thinking about things we do so often but we’ve never really been taught how to do. Or maybe it wasn’t readily apparent why this or that might be important in the process. DIY can be nice when we do it successfully. Yet, DIY can also just make things worse for self & others. I know many people who have questioned, complained about, and downright cursed a prior homeowner as the new homeowner digs into a mess left behind by a prior owner’s DIY project.

        Think about Mass for just a moment. Many people seem to approach it like a DIY. They come in and sort of go to Mass irrespective of the rest of the assembly. (Yes, I am well aware that we priests can also be so charged. And it’s not great then, either.) Mass should be anything but a DIY. In fact, we can’t do it ourselves at all! At best, we can do it with Yahweh. Yes, “Liturgy” comes from the Greek for “the work of the People.” But the efficacy of our Liturgy is that we work in the manner and method prescribed by God. As such, Liturgy is holy work we participate in under His direction, instruction, command. We ‘do’ Mass at all because we have been so commanded to “Do this in memory of Me [Jesus]” (Lk 22:19).

        Because we tend to approach our Liturgy & Mass as a DIY – we in fact do it ourselves. Whether we have ever really been taught how-to Mass at all. At best, your parents, grandparents, catechists or Catholic grade school teachers told you sit now, stand then, kneel, put the kneeler down softly (!!!), don’t stand on the kneeler, open the hymnal & sing, respond, make the Sign of the Cross with your right hand, genuflect with your right knee to the floor. The How-To of Mass is more modeled & mentored by watching than actually taught. If only there were a YouTube video or How-To video for the Mass. (I’ve not checked… there are probably 10 million such videos?!?), it’s not like we get specific coaching on how to Mass.

        What I mean is, often when I talk about the Mass or the Liturgy, I have typically focused upon its parts & pieces. What this is & why we do it. Who does this & when. How it fits in the greater whole, maybe some history & Scripture support. Yet, knowing a particular project will require a hammer, nails, & wood, does not tell one how to build the deck. It may help you understand what the deck is, and there is a good in that. But really, when was the last time you felt taught How-To Mass. Is there a better way? Is there a ‘right’ way? Is the way you DIY really bringing you into the intended encounter with the Living God – Father, Son & Spirit?

Nothing Less than saints for the Holy Family of God.

Holy Family, who worshiped God, Pray for us.

~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries