Son#1 and I attended our second bilingual Mass yesterday. I have to admit that it is the time of the Mass (5:30pm Sunday) rather than the fact that it is bilingual that makes it so attractive to us.
The priest who celebrated the Mass was not overly fluent in English. I can't imagine myself having to stand in front of an audience, reading verses from the bible, in a language not my own. It was so very interesting listening to him read, the tone and infliction and rhythm were not as we are accustomed to hearing, but it was a good thing, it made me sit up and listen even more intently to the readings and prayers.
The small, Midwestern town that I've lived in all my life has changed tremendously in the past 10-15 years. We now have a very large population of Hispanic people. All that the local newspaper seems to report on is gang activity, graffiti and alot of people complaints about how the town has changed and it never seems to be for the better,either. They'd never write a story about the young (he looked to be maybe 20) Hispanic man/boy that I saw kneeling on the floor at the back of the church before Mass started, eyes shut, his face intent with prayer.
I wonder how things might be different in our town if they would.
2 comments:
When I went down to the Dominican Republic, I was granted an opportunity to attend a Sunday night church service. The minster spoke only Spanish, and we did have a lady translating, but it was such a great experience to have. At the end of the service, all the ladies were hugging us, thanking us for coming, even though they didn't know us. I think more people should attend a service that is outside their own language. (I've also been to one in Japanese). It definitely opens your eyes to how much we are really alike in the eyes of the Lord.
beautiful piece. again.
I loved your last comment... that your town (and our world) might be different if
...if the focus could be taken off of the fearful, and the fear-making
...if we could see the positive, the amazing, the precious.
...if we could make ourselves vulnerable, less powerful, trembling with unfamiliar words.
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