TIME AND SPACE

I believe there is a time and a place for everything and that there is a necessary balance in human engagements.  This seems to be particularly important when it comes to entering the church for Mass.

The sacredness of the church goes back to the days of the temple.  We hear in our first reading how Judas and his brothers assembled the whole army, after their enemies were crushed, went up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it. (1 Mc 4:36-37) For eight days the community celebrated the dedication of the altar, and to celebrate for eight days on the anniversary date thereafter.  I’ve been blessed to see 5 altars dedicated by the Bishops of the Diocese of Orlando, including the Cathedral and this altar.  Bishop Barron talks of 5 paths to understanding the Catholic faith to reengage those who have left or living on the fringe.  The first path is Charity & Justice, the second is Beauty.  The Church and her worship spaces, her liturgy are beautiful, but most often misunderstood.  The beauty and sacredness of our churches command and demand our utmost respect.  It is no wonder that we read of Jesus driving out the merchants telling them, “My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." (Lk 19:46)

When I consider our own local house of prayer, the visitors I invite are in awe of the beauty of the sacred space, yet I can’t help but think of the many broken people who come.  The wounded and searching people.  Let’s face it, we are all to some degree broken believers who enter this sacred space seeking answers to and refuge from life challenges, seeking reconciliation with God, and maybe just seeking a fleeting moment of peace.

And so, Mother Church, over time, has developed norms which include an element of sacred silence to establish and cultivate an environment of prayer, while also acknowledging the human social dimension of welcoming and greeting.

The 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal speaks very specifically about silence before and during the liturgy.  Reading: “Sacred silence also, as part of the celebration, is to be observed at the designated times.” . . . “Even before the celebration itself, it is praiseworthy practice for silence be observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred celebration in a devout and fitting manner” (45).

I also found a reference (from the Introduction to the Order of Mass, a pastoral resource issued in 2003 by the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy) that speaks favorably of Mass attendees being “made welcome by representatives of the community and acknowledged informally by their neighbors.”

Now, I’ve seen both references taken to the extreme.  Where reverence for the sacred silence is strictly enforces upon entering church to the point that the environment becomes like a stuffy museum or welcoming equates to a constant chattering in the pews without consideration for those around them attempting to quiet their hearts to hear God calming whisper of consolation. 

So, I return to my opening line, there is a time and a place for everything.  Sacred silence and welcoming, done in proper balance, respects the sanctity of the sacred space and allows for the community to be welcoming, to be united in prayer and fellowship