Three of us friars are temporarily living in an apartment on Essex Street while the new rectory/friary is being built. There is a popular bar/restaurant on the first floor of our building, which is often full of young people. It has struck me as unusual that Sunday nights seem to be especially popular. The contrast of this with the low numbers of people, especially young people, going to Mass on Sunday has also grabbed my attention. I believe this a small example of the reality of a society that has turned away from God, which always leads to turning in on ourselves.

In the first reading today the prophet Isaiah has an amazing vision of the angels worshipping God in heaven. They cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with His Glory!” These Seraphim, the burning ones, are expressing an awe at the greatness of God that is beyond words. They are not conscious of themselves, but only of the need to praise His Glory. This is authentic worship, a complete giving of self to the one who gives Himself completely to us and for us. The angel’s cry became a very important part of the Mass very early on in the history of the Church, it is the “Sanctus” that we sing or proclaim after the preface and just before entering into the Eucharistic Prayer. Right before the preface we are exhorted to “Sursum Corda“, “Lift up your hearts!“, get ready to go to Heaven!

The Sanctus is far more than a repetition of the seraphic song, the heavenly liturgy is actually made present in the Mass so that we can join the angels and saints in their never-ending worship of God. In our secular society, this is a tough sell. To go enjoy myself at the sports bar is much more attractive. These human enjoyments have their place, but if they are not in the context of giving myself back to my Creator, they actually become destructive. It is in the genuine worship of God, which Jesus makes manifest especially on the Cross, where we find true fulfillment. Hence, the paradox of Jesus’ words, “Whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Mt 16:25-26)

On the surface, the Mass seems boring, the bar looks exciting. Below the surface, at the heart, self-seeking is boring, worship is eternal happiness. God bless you.

Fr. Peter