The Beauty of Morning Mass

I love the pageantry of a full out, all stops literally pulled, incense wafted, candles glowing, vestments flowing, glory of a Sunday Mass which is wonderfully and reverently celebrated.  It is the actor and director in me that appreciates the ebb and flow of servers and priest in a choreographed homage to the great King of Heaven.  And dare I say that God is a fatherly and appreciative recipient of our feeble but honest attempts to praise Him worthily.  

But there is nothing like early morning, daily Mass.  There is an intimacy there that comforts, encourages, and sends you on your way filled with simple grace.  It is like being with the disciples around the fire with Jesus speaking softly and low about the Kingdom.  Except that the names have been changed to Elsie, Fran, Liz, John, Thom.  And Jesus is speaking to us through the soft spoken voice of our beloved Pastor.  

My parish Church is a true early morning Mass place.  The light is other worldly, the stained glass is glowing with meaning, the air is quiet and filled with the vague scent of incense collected there from  many a Mass said over the years.  And in the summer when you open the door and go from sticky, glaring summer into cool dimness.  You find yourself in a place of "other".  

Whenever I enter this Church I am flooded with memories of the Baptisms and First Holy Communions of my children.  I remember how a wonderful old gentleman named Fran offered to teach my boys how to serve and he did it so well.  

Beautiful Churches DO matter.  We are beings with five senses and we NEED these things to remind us of eternal truths.  We can certainly pray anywhere, but here is where Christ chose to dwell in the Blessed Sacrament and to meet us intimately.  Our hearts must come to be quieted by the incensed air, and the play of light from the windows around us, the mystery of the Sanctuary lamp lit.  

This is where our hearts must dance with abandon as David danced before the Ark of the Covenant. 

Every single Church is "the house of God and the gate of Heaven" in a REAL way.  I am filled with gratitude for this old German church, nestled in old, unassuming city neighborhood. For each morning I can enter and find there the portal to Jesus and my true homeland which lies "further up and further in."