Tell me if this isn't irony...
OK, so Easter Mass was pretty great and beautiful. I served at Holy Mass as an Altar Boy and helped all the other "little" Altar Servers serve a high Mass (which they did great). My relatives were in town from Florida and they attended Mass as well which was a great blessing. But here's the punchline. You have heard my venting and later my rejoicing at the end of the liturgical abuse of the pouring of the Precious Blood. Well guess what! Since this was Easter Mass and all of those folks who seem to drop in all of sudden were filling up our pews and then some, the deacon and others were concerned about having enough wine to consecrate for Holy Communion. We had more wine than our 9 chalices could hold and so it was decided that the priest should consecrate the remaining wine in the *cough* glass flagon and then pour more of the precious Blood if the Extraordinary ministers ran out. Now get this... Guess who was asked to do the "pouring-as-we-go"??? Did you guess? Well, the answer is ME. Yep, that's right. 15 minutes before Mass, and being the "Senior" server I was asked to do this for some reason. I didn't know what to do exactly. I am happy because the abuse had come to an end, and I was thinking the only reason they're doing this is because of the extraordinary circumstances. So yep, big hypocrite me gave in and did the pouring. However, I was glad in some ways it was me as I ensured with all of my ability to honor the Precious Blood and not allow it to spill or drip at all. I felt terrible that I had to do this. So what do you think I should've done? Was I wrong? They plan on doing this now every Christmas and Easter... Lord have mercy on me a sinner!
5 comments:
If they run out, they run out. That's no problem. People can still receive the Full Christ in the Eucharistic Host. That is what all people did in all cases before Vatican II. I would remind them of this.
Like you said at least you did so you could make sure the Precious Blood was shown as much reverence as possible.
I too had to compromise on Good Friday when I had to lend the Church two of my crosses for the veneration to prevent small undignified ones from being used.
Sometimes, in pastoral situations on the ground, compromises have to be made. Sometimes out of obedience. Sigh...exurge Domine.
Also remember the GIRM states that if there are a lot of people, then maybe the Precious Blood should not be distributed at all...maybe this would be an idea, even though your pastor would not accept it very well. (And I know that for a fact, LOL)
Remember the parish we talked about the last time on MSN? Well, during Monday of the Easter Octave (there were only about 50 odd number of communicants and a handful of religious brothers). Instead of consecrating 3 extra chalices of wine, this priest consecrated a flagon and had it poured subsequently into chalices after the Agnus Dei. This very same priest left out the Kyrie.
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