Happy Easter. Christ is risen.
Someone asked me, “You want to go to a sunrise service?” I thought about it and responded, “I suppose I could stay up that late…” Instead, I went to Mass.
Mass was at Holy Cross in Santa Cruz (for those outside the area, the church that the town is named after). It was my first Mass since childhood, and my sister’s first Mass ever. It was a lot like I remember… sort of. My previous experience has been in Air Force chapels, which are never as nicely decorated or attended. Today was standing room only, which is what we get for arriving on time.
Because it was Mass, I figured I should wear a tie. I really dislike ties. Ties are not of God. They were invented to suck up to kings, and evolved into a cultural standard that represents conformity, a lack of individuality, and the approval of shallow people who only look at people’s outsides—four things that are not of God. Plus I don’t like wearing stuff on my neck; it cuts off circulation to the brain, and God wants us to use our brains, so that’s a fifth thing. I could list more…
I didn’t take communion. I haven’t been confirmed and didn’t feel it was appropriate. Not that I’m not a member of the body of Christ; but the Catholics have a procedure to formally confirm that people are Christians before they participate in the Eucharist. If you believe—as they do—that the hosts and wine literally turn into Jesus, you can understand why they’re worried that anyone take it in an unworthy manner and call condemnation on themselves, as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians. (I often feel Protestants don’t take communion seriously enough. Maybe the bread and wine don’t literally become Jesus; but as symbols of Jesus, they deserve proper reverence because of the person they represent.) Eucharist is the central point of Mass, and it’s a serious business. So if I’m at their church, it’s appropriate for me to respect their beliefs. I didn’t have to go to a Catholic service, after all. If I ever go again, I should probably get confirmation out of the way so I can fully participate.
Lent is over, so I can eat bagels again… which I did for lunch. God bless Noah’s Bagels, and whoever figured out you could put Asiago cheese in a bagel.
The hall is once again filling up with students, and the noise level is back to normal. So much for peace.