Coffee Talking

After Mass today a few of the Parishoners asked me out for Coffee. We had a very nice time discussing a whole host of topics.

Coffee and conversation is a staple of any good daily Mass community, because it continues out in the world the Communion we receive in the Church. It sort of sad though that so many Catholics forego the social aspect of Church. True, for some the social aspect takes a disordered prominence in Church, however we as a Church are a family, a community, and sadly this aspect often fails to be seen or accepted.

Anyone who talks to me for long knows that the Divine Liturgy is one of my key academic interests. I would even claim that it is the most important ecclesiological and theological issues facing the Church today. Part of the problem I see with the liturgy today is the lack of distinctions, we come to Mass and we try to cram divine worship and the sacraments together with the lay apostolate, entertainment, and a social dynamic. In other parts of the Catholic world, they have all of these dynamics, but each is properly separated, conscious of time and place. One of my past-times is learning about and attending other Rites of the Catholic Liturgy, attending the ancient 4th century Ge'ez rite of Ethiopia a few years ago I saw this dynamic in action. For two hours, the Ge'ez community (the only one in the US at the time) worshiped God, all of the music, actions, and dialogue was about God and God alone. Much to my surprise, when the Liturgy was over, after two hours, we were invited downstairs for a distinct but equally important social aspect. It was in this second context that people were greeted and acknowledged by name, that we exchanged embraces, that we sang music (religious music) for entertainment's sake, and that we share fellowship and a common meal.

These two distinct realities are so important to the life of the Church, to the life of a family. They come from Jesus' great commandment Love God, with your whole heart, and your neighbor as yourself. Truly theocentric love, which results in Worship, is necessary if we are to share heartfelt community fellowship. These two realities can't be confused, or they will both be lost.