There is an apocryphal story that floats around Catholic parishes that goes something like this: A family attended Mass for the first time at a new parish. They were from across the country and after finding the closest Catholic parish the parents took the family to Sunday Mass. The church was not very full when they arrived and like all good Catholics they sought a pew that was empty and furthest away from the altar without being in the very last pews, which were already occupied. As the beginning of Mass came closer the Dad felt a presence at his shoulder and turning in his seat he was confronted by a kindly looking elderly lady who in a stern and unforgiving voice said, “You are in my pew, please move.” We all laugh a little and maybe feel a bit uncomfortable at the story because in some ways it is true and not so apocryphal in our lives.
I thought of this story on reading and article on the patheos.com website by Lisa Duffy titled, You’ll Never Guess What’s Keeping Some Catholics Out Of The Church. In the article she noted that one thing that keeps us away from the Church is we have no one to invite us after we have drifted away. And I find this true. I often encourage people to invite their friends and neighbors, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers to come to Mass and celebrate with them. I am just as often met with frozen looks of dread at the thought of this invitation. But we are a Church and faith of invitation.
Think about it in this way. Our very first act as Christians is to be brought to Church by another. It’s called baptism. Mothers and fathers entrust their children to the divine love of God in the sacramental grace of baptism. When we celebrate Eucharist (the Mass) we cannot do it alone. Even if I, as a priest, celebrate Mass without a congregation I never do it alone. We are invited to come and hear and eat at the table of blessing. It is a dialogue that communicates the interaction of two as we extend ourselves to God and He reveals his constant presence in our lives. Each Sacrament we celebrate is a dialogue an offering and accepting of an invitation of love towards another.
Our invitation and welcome of our brothers and sisters, our accepting and welcoming the voice of the inviter shows an openness of heart to the other in our lives. God extends this invitation again and again as he accepts our invitation to dwell within our joys and sufferings as a permanent sojourner with us. And this is the wonder of our God: He sends us out to be his point person in inviting others. Although little bit scary it is also life giving and challenging in a good way.
Each one of us, as children of the Divine Father, is called to be the voice of invitation to others. Let each of us reach out in invitation as we ask someone, “come and sit in my pew.”
God Bless
Fr. Mark
www.patheos.com/blogs/lisaduffy/2015/11/youll-never-guess-whats-keeping-some-catholics-out-of-the-church/