Some people like quiet to pray before Mass, so always remember them. (I’m not one of those, except for a few times.) But obviously this man was not even close to obtaining the peace of prayer, however, no matter how quiet it got. We can learn that from his behavior, and maybe by his seeing your humility, he will learn too.
It’s good you kept yourself from responding, and even better you asked Jesus to help you. That’s turning the other cheek. You may have felt humiliated at the time, but you’re NOT in God’s eyes, and probably not in those who were truly at prayer having God in their midst.
And thanks for today’s commentary!
Thank you very much RG!
Yes Jesus did help me because, ahem, I am not known far and wide for being quiet and reserved. Turning the other cheek is not my forte is what I am saying here.
I don’t know the rules about communicating before mass. Back when I was in the choir and the very mean Father Jim was our Pastor, we were told that we bothered the parishioners praying quietly before mass in their pews.
“You don’t want me to have to come out and shut you up,” father Jim told us, kind of a mean way to put it I thought. We had to be in place at choir an hour before mass began. We had parts to give out and last minute music adjustments to go over.
And we get beat up for communicating?
So I understand the prayer before mass but I think it’s very unrealistic to expect people not to talk before mass although there are limits of course.
I wrote Father Tom an email asking him to seek my side should anything come of this. Iris, for the record, is leader of the confirmation teaching group, very involved.
It’s not like this big mouthed jerk didn’t beat on some people who are hard workers for the church. No I don’t know him and never want to.
Father Tom got a new knee by the way. To me he looks exactly the same and is still very big. He does seem to get around a bit better but I expected more.
Heh.