What Happened in Church Today 5: Who was he?
Have you ever been wrong about a lot of things??
That was me today.
First, it was about the name of the priest who celebrated Mass today.
When I saw him, my mind screamed out loud (SOL, yeah that’s a new one, you’re welcome), I was happy because of who I thought he was.
Father Batu.
Father Batu was the priest that examined me when I was probably six years old, in preparation for receiving my first Holy Communion. He was huge and dark, just like today’s priest.
But why would I even think he was Father Batu? I mean, he was obviously younger-looking.
I’ll tell you why.
I thought “Oh, money must have made him age backward”.
Unbelievable, I know. I’m disappointed in myself too.
Anyway, unlike today’s priest, Father Batu was gentle and calm, it is rare to find such attributes in youngsters, even if they’re priests.
That was what gave it away that he wasn’t Father Batu.
Who was he then? We’ll get to that.
The choir delivered the responsorial psalm beautifully today! I was stunned, but mostly by the ‘flute boy’.
I have never seen him sit with the choir, I only knew him as a lector, but today, he sat with the choir and played the flute and he didn’t flop.
Not a music expert, but the ears only dance when they hear beautiful sounds and my ears danced, I held my breath as I watched, my heartbeat followed the rhythm of the tone he played, my soul was at peace and nothing else seemed to matter in the time.
But as it is with all things, it came to an end.
Fast forward to the homily…sorry I can’t recall what was preached, but I checked the time when the priest was done, it was just forty-four minutes past six!
I appreciate a quick Mass any time, any day, but it’s always suspicious especially when you’re not used to it, so again, I assumed.
Last Sunday (sorry I didn’t write) there was a launching geared towards clearing the Church’s debts, not much was collected, so I assumed the reason we have a visiting priest that isn’t Father Batu btw, was because they wanted to host another launching but this time they needed a more persuasive priest so they can collect enough, and this priest seems to be an expert in such affairs, and that explains why he was so brief with the homily.
Again, I was wrong.
Turns out there was no launching, and he was brief because, unlike most priests, he likes to keep to time since he was to celebrate the next mass by eight o’clock in the morning.
Now the question remains, who was he? I mean, the catholic church will not just send a random priest to come celebrate mass at least without the parish priest there to introduce him. I think.
Also, I noticed some people in the congregation that I know usually won’t be seen at 6 am mass present at this one, so I knew something was up.
Turns out he was one of us. Born here, raised here, was an altar server as a boy, the church knew him and his family has quite the repute.
According to him at the end of the mass, today marks a month since his sister was buried, so he decides to come celebrate the Mass for the people that assisted during the funeral, those who comforted the family in one way or the other.
He wasn’t Father Batu, he wasn’t here to host a launching, he was here to say THANK YOU.
And I had been so stupid to assume things that weren’t there all through the celebration of the Mass.
Well…
Other things that happened was the book sale of a twelve year old, title ‘The Price of Wickedness’.
The church can be very supportive when they wish to be, because how did they sell off all copies that were brought to church today, at #500 each???
“If not that I’m only writing about love and romance, these people could be my money mine” I thought to myself.
And so the Mass was dismissed. That was what happened in church today.
Happy sunday, feel free to share your experience in the church today or anytime at all in the comment.
