Praise and Worship

If I have any criticism about the Catholic Mass, it would be the outward joy that is expressed by those at Mass. Most Masses I have been a part of have the general feeling of a funeral. People are stoic, expressionless. It is as if the people are just going through the motions. Now don’t get me wrong. I have been to many joy-filled Masses. I have experienced these in other cultures, Latino, Pilipino, Hawaiian.

Contrast that with the typical praise and worship service found at a modern mega-church these days. There is no altar, but a stage. There is no sacrifice, but a performance. There is joyful singing, clapping of hands, and even dancing. It has a general rock concert vibe to it. Some of the more radical ones have people being slain in the spirit, falling to the ground, convulsing, and speaking in tongues. It is easy to understand why so many people, especially the younger people, prefer a more up-beat church service over the bland, old, and boring Catholic Mass. 

But the Catholic Mass is something no other church service in the world is. The Catholic Mass is a conduit between time and space where those at Mass are transported to the foot of the cross at Calvary. It is said that the Catholic Mass re-presents Christ’s crucifixion to us. A better way to say this is that the Mass makes us present at the crucifixion. The supernatural reality is veiled to our eyes, but when we stand before the altar at Mass we stand before the foot of the cross at Golgotha. This isn’t symbolic. This isn’t metaphor. This is a reality we cannot see while we are on this side of heaven.

The crucifixion is made present for us in our time and space to give us an opportunity to participate in the salvation and redemption of the world. We are given the opportunity to offer up our own sufferings as part of Jesus’s sacrifice. Jesus’s sacrifice is sufficient all on its own, but we are given the opportunity to offer our sufferings as part of that sacrifice. This ties us to Christ’s death, which ties us to his resurrection. Salvation and redemption are not automatic. They are offered in love and love cannot be forced. There has to be a choice.

There were two men who were being crucified with Jesus, one to his right and one to his left. Both of these men were receiving the just punishment for their crimes; death. We know that one of these men mocked Jesus. The other is known as the good thief, for in the end he only asked that Jesus remember him. On one cross we have the penitent man. On the other, a man who turns from the Lord. Both men must die for their sins, but the penitent man will be with Jesus in his heavenly kingdom. The man who turns away from God goes to hell. On these two crosses we are presented our choice. On one cross hangs God’s mercy. On the other hangs his justice. If we do not choose mercy, we will receive justice.

I came to realize that if the Catholic Mass really does take us to the foot of the cross as we believe it does, the stoic demeanor of those participating in Mass is appropriate. We are witnessing the crucifixion of our Lord in real-time. That is the wrong place for joy, happiness, singing, dancing, hand clapping, and carrying on. Imagine how appalling it would be to take Christ on the cross and place him on the stage during a mega-church’s praise and worship hour. People would be singing and dancing in celebration of a person being put to death. Not just any person, but God himself.

Of course, they will tell you that they are not celebrating the crucifixion. They are giving praise to the risen Lord, Jesus, in heaven. But, if you do not choose to participate in the death of Christ you cannot participate in his resurrection. That is like going to a major sporting event and feel like you are part of it even though you choose to stay in the parking lot and tailgate.

If given the choice to stay in the parking lot and tailgate or be on the field with the players I will pick being on the field every single time. If more people actually understood and believed what the Catholic Mass actually is they would have to shutter the mega-churches’ doors because those concert halls wouldn’t have a single person in them. The devil wants you to feel joyful and that’s what praise and worship services do. God wants you to be joyful and that is what the crucifixion of Jesus won for us.