A New Appreciation for the Mass

About 3 or 4 weeks ago, right before I left for vacation, I attended something called the Women of Faith Conference. Anonymous, if you still read my blog, you might want to cover your eyes at what I am going to say next, it will horrify you I'm sure. This Conference is an ecumenical gathering of Christian women , spending the day in song and prayer. Actually, it's a night and a day, and that was one of the nice things about it. I went with a group of friends and got to stay the night in a nice hotel and have one of those nice hotel breakfasts with an omelet chef and everything!

Anyway, the first night was mostly an introduction to some of the speakers and the guy who founded the conference. I wasn't real impressed with him. I think maybe he should stay in the background and not speak. First of all, why is a guy starting up a women's conference? It made me think he was in it for the money, but, anyway, I digress. The best part of Friday night was Anita Renfroe. You know, she's the comedienne who sings what a mom says in 24 hours to the tune of the William Tell Overture. If you don't know, you can see it here. She's very funny. We were in stitches.

The next day was a really full day with lots of speakers, some drama, musical acts, etc. You know, there is something really nice about being in a stadium full of women who love Jesus. I mean, wow! That's incredible. And yet, I felt that it was more like I was watching a production of something, then really participating in it. There were moments when women were sharing serious issues in their lives - eating disorders, fathers who committed suicide, alcoholism - and a lot of people around me would be crying, but I just couldn't feel it. That in itself says something, because I cry at At&T commercials, you know what I mean? Oh, you know what commercial used to kill me? Do you remember the one for McDonald's that highlighted their program of hiring retired folks? This must have been 15 years or more ago, but it showed a little old man getting up and getting ready for work at McDonald's with such a spring in his step, and then working there with good cheer all day, and then coming home and telling his wife, "I don't know how they ever got along without me," with a real sense of pride in his voice. Oh, that one killed me every time. Tears would literally stream down my face. So, really, you think I would cry at these stories, but it really felt like a stage production, though I'm sure they were quite sincere.

I enjoyed the musical acts. I do listen to the local Christian station here in my town and I recognized some of the songs, though not the names of the acts. But I had the same problem with it that I do with the Christian station. Some of the songs are just incorrect or not complete. They'll actually sing lyrics like, through faith alone we are saved, or whatever. One woman sang a song about "Your Mama," and it was about one's own mother being a good Christian example and I wanted to scream "What about Mary???????" Forget your own mother, how about let's follow the Blessed Mother's example, for Heaven's sake!!!

So, while for the most part I enjoyed the Conference - especially the part about the omelet chef making my breakfast and the dinner we girls went to afterwards at the Irish pub across the street - it really wasn't the big spiritual awakening I had hoped it might be.

Until the next morning. As I sat during Mass with my family I realized that, even with the distraction of my squirmy kids, I was getting far more out of that one hour, spent with the Word and with the Body and Blood of Our Lord, then I had gotten out of almost 12 hours of an ecumenical gathering. I have never loved the Mass so much.