Extraordinary Mass Number Five

Several Months ago, I blogged about the beauty of the Low Mass, based on my experience at that time. Well, Sunday Last (9 January) I was able to again experience the EF in is High Mass form.

For Days thereafter, one word kept going through my head:

Glorious...

I have been around for many years, and seen many things in this world, but I can honestly say that Mass was the first thing I have seen that truly rated that adjective.

Glorious...

Now I understand the meaning of the phrase "The most beautiful thing this side of heaven".

Glorious...

Now I understand why Catholic churches evolved into the form they traditionally assume - the magnificent High Altar, the stained glass, the pipe organ, the choir in the loft, the inspired architecture. They evolved that way because it's the only earthly venue worthy of The Mass.

Glorious...

And, sadly, now I understand why the modernists and the reformers were so committed to emasculating The Mass as it was meant to be. How on earth could they otherwise convince people to rebel and wander off? How do you keep them focused on earthly things when they have peeked through the door and seen a bit of heaven??? They HAD to make it less moving - less heavenly - otherwise there would be no way to lead the faithful to believe that The Church was "just another denomination" and therefore not all that special, and therefore able to be rejected or at the very least ignored.