Immaculate Conception (week 4)

In addition to striking a better balance between timely and lengthy posts, I'm also working on the balance between participant and observer at mass.  I was only half kidding about the reporter's notebook.  

Immaculate Conception is kind of yellow church, 2 columns of pews, and has this stained glass and columns versus linoleum floors thing going.  I made a rookie mistake of sitting behind a column.  

I went to 5:30 mass today.  I was heading into direct sunlight on the way over and was meet by a fall night when I left.  The "Praise Band" takes care of music with a violin, drums, guitar, piano.  And I can't be sure because I didn't see it, but I am pretty sure I heard another tambourine.  

Much of mass tonight was spent discussing the new Roman Missal.  It's a good thing I started going back to mass now, because if I waited a few more weeks, I would feel very lost.   The changes in wording, we were told, will make mass more beautiful, poetic, and lyrical.  The changes will also break us of our rote memory style of prayer.  (Where would I be now without rote memory?)  All Saints' Day this week, Advent starts in four.  Where did the year go?

I had the happy surprise of running into an old friend tonight.  That reminds me that part of going to church is being part of the community.  I realized I wouldn't have it by church hopping, but I didn't think I would miss it.