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Third Sunday of Easter
22 April 2007
Dear Friends in Christ,
Anyone who has ever spent anytime with me outside of church knows I am an insatiable bookworm, and no books interest me more than liturgical books. Many priests would rather read the telephone directory than those little red directions in the margins called rubrics, but I love them. The history of those little red directions reveals much about how we as Catholics worship and where we as Catholics are going.
Those of an older generation and those raised outside of the United States may remember what it was like when the priest came to visit a sick person with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The rubrics once stated that when the priest was to visit the sick, he shall by ringing the church bells assemble some of his parishioners so that they can accompany the Eucharist carrying candles or torches. The following should be in readiness in the sickroom: lighted candles, a linen cloth, and whatever else will befittingly enhance the room. The priest vests in surplice or stole or even white cope. Having received the humeral veil over his shoulders, he now takes in both hands the Sacrament and proceeds on the way, walking bareheaded below the canopy. At the head of the procession there should always be an acolyte who carries the lantern. Following next are two clerics, one of whom carries the holy water, a beautifully made burse and a linen purificator; the other carries the Ritual and the little bell which he rings continuously.
I once had a woman say to me, “Thank God we don’t do any of that nonsense anymore. I like it simple.” But imagine if you were sick in bed and you heard me ringing the church bells and before you knew it, there was a whole procession of lay faithful and priests bringing Jesus to you with all of the splendour that is His due? Would you not feel like the most treasured sick person in the whole world, that your faith community “went to all that trouble” for you?
I have been branded a romantic nostalgic for my love of those little red directions. I happily plead guilty. Now, such a procession is not always possible today (how could I fit a canopy and all of those people in my 4Runner, so appropriately christened -Jean-Baptiste?) but have we not missed the boat a little about how we should go and visit the sick? We should ring the church bells for joy, for Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament is going to visit Jesus in the sick and humble. We should, all of us, not just the priests and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, do the rounds in the hospitals and bring some Easter light to those in the hospitals and nursing homes. You know where they are, so go. (And maybe the kids could ring a little bell too as you do so!)
See you in the sick wards!
Father Christopher