A Memorable Day

Some days are just more memorable than others.  Sometimes, a specific mass is remembered years later.  This Sunday's mass is an example of that for a number of reasons.  On a weekend where the phrase "Never Forget" was uttered countless times, this Sunday is one I will probably never forget, but not for the reasons one might think.

First, obviously, it goes without saying that one's thoughts were not far from what happened ten years ago.  It seems like the memories were everywhere, and even if one didn't wish to think of the events of September 11, 2001 the media would be there for a quick reminder.  I, like so many other people, can remember how the events unfolded throughout that day and really throughout that entire week.  Coincidintally, I had begun attending Catholic mass for the first time a couple weeks earlier and, with the exception of the first mass I attended, the first mass I went to after 9/11 was one of my first memorable moments of a nearly decade long journey that finally led to me coming home to the Catholic Church.  What I remember most from that first post-9/11 mass was an attitude that I didn't find anywhere else at the time.  When the people I encountered, around town, around campus (I was a Freshman in College at the time), and seemingly everyone I saw on TV at the time was promulgating attacking the Middle East with senseless rage, within the walls of the Catholic church I was attending I heard things like "love your enemies," "forgiveness," "peace," "the people who attacked America are not representative of all Muslims and Arabs," etc.  It was the first time I encountered the Church trying to bring sense to a senseless world.  Ten years later, I can think of numerous time when the liturgy, teachings, music, or even the mere existence of the Catholic Church made me realize that things would indeed be alright.  As I'm sure many parishes did today, we recited in unison Pope Benedict's prayer for peace at Ground Zero:
God of peace, bring forth your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds are comsumed with hatred.

God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations in the hearts of all.

Also, today in my parish and many others more steps were taken in anticipation the introduction of the new Roman Missal at the beginning of Advent.  Today was the introduction of new musical settings for the Sanctus, Agnus Dei, etc. and they were sung in mass for the first time.  The settings were, in a word, beautiful.  As they were explained by the day's song leader before the beginning of mass I came to a realization: This is the first time I can remember that any kind of "change" within the Church in its recent history has been without major controversy.  Over the last half century or so, perhaps even longer, nearly every change or new initiative introduced church has been met by widespread derision that the changes are way too much or not enough, too conservative or too liberal, too open or too closed, too "Old Catholic" (historically, not the denomination) or too Protestant, and the list goes on.  The new Missal, however, has been without those widespread  complaints (I'm sure they're out there, just not nearly as widespread).  There are a number of explanations for this.  First, it's no secret that the new Missal settings are beautiful.  With the better translation of the Latin and new musical settings, the overall beauty of the mass has been enhanced.  I think the absence of major controversy, however, speaks to the unifying ability of the mass and the liturgy therein.  Through this liturgy Catholics of all stripes are united in communion.  Something I always enjoy about communion is noticing how diverse the people in front of me and behind me are.  People diverse race, social class, and philosophy line up every day for mass all across the world, and the new Latin Translation of the Missal does a beautiful job of capturing that moment.