I came across this awesome article explaining the necessity of having Midnight Mass - with the proper reading of the Nativity story - at Midnight.
Midnight Mass is the ultimate sign that we are adjusting our lives to fit Christmas. In the whole year – sacred or profane – no other event begins at midnight. For no other reason do we head out in the middle of the night. In the heart of the night, in the heart of the darkest season, in the heart of the winter bleakness, Catholics gather because they have seen a great light. It is the Christmas tradition par excellence.
Why toss it away for greater convenience? Just as the introduction of Saturday evening Masses have made Sunday less central as the Lord's Day, so too the multiplication of Masses on Christmas Eve have stripped Christmas Day of its significance. Christmas Day begins at midnight, and Mass at that hour indicates that the Catholic people are so eager for Christmas that they want to wait not one minute longer than necessary. What a pity to take the midnight Mass, readings and all, and slot it in before dinner.
O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, our Lord our God!
The first midnight mass I went to was about 5 years ago. I loved it and have tried to go every year. I guess I'm eager too!
ReplyDeleteSo the Pope is wrong for moving midnight Mass up two hours to 10 p.m.? I like Midnight Mass myself, but with kids it is harder to do (we did it last year). I disagree with the premise that you are more Catholic if you go to Mass on Sunday only during the year and midnight Mass for Christmas. That's silly. Or that you are being 'lazy' if you don't attend Mass on Sunday or midnight Mass on Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI love Fr. De Souza's writing normally, but I guess I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, because this article just rubs me the wrong way.
Oh i Don't think he's saying you're lazy for going on Saturdays or not midnight mass.
ReplyDeletethe 5PM saturday nite vigil has a purpose, but i have read some good articles about how it has become "overused" as a convenience mass, rather than for people who really can't make it on sunday - medical people, jobs, etc. as in, saturday should be the exception not your "regular" mass.
as for midnight, i think his point is that each mass has a specific purpose in the christmas liturgy - the readings are all something specific about hte birth of Christ and changing it around to "fit people's schedules" defeats the point of how the Church has arranged the liturgies.
JPII did midnight Mass at midnight and while i pinky puffy heart Pope Benedict, I do so wish he hadn't moved it!
I agree with all your points, and I grant that I didn't/haven't read the whole article yet. I was running to a funeral and didn't have time. lol
ReplyDeleteAnd now that I've read the whole thing (I am so rolling my eyes at myself right now), I understand his point. ha ha
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