Wow. Have I ever been given great topics to write about this summer! I was just asked to write on yet another controversial one. Leaving mass early. And let’s go ahead and throw in getting to Mass on time while we’re at it. Oh boy.
So, first off, why do people do leave Mass early? Most of the time it revolves around something like – I want to beat the traffic out of church; I got what I came for, why not leave? (meaning the Eucharist, our Risen Lord alive and present in the Body of Christ and probably still being consumed in our mouth); the Chiefs are on; I’ve got to get to (insert restaurant, event, or location).
Mass takes an hour, give or take 5-10 minutes (outside of a few special days like Palm Sunday). You know when the times are. You know how long it takes to get to Church from your house. You know when you have to be at something else. So, there’s an app on nearly every single cell phone out there that is a calendar function. It allows you to schedule things so that you don’t forget about them. You probably use it for work or for your kids’ schedules or for their school functions. You can also add your mass time in to that calendar. You can also make it repeat weekly. And you can set alarms – like a day before, or 2 hours before. Try it. You may like it. It may actually get you to Mass every weekend and on time! With so many options for mass times, there is surely one time that you can make work. It’s your obligation. It should be your desire. It’s one of those Commandments, too. (Yeah, that thing that we get so mad about when they want to remove it from in front of a building, and yet we can’t even manage to attempt to obey them at times- even one of the easiest ones about going to Mass on Sundays?)
I know that sometimes unforeseen circumstances don’t allow this to happen easily every week. Children should not count as an ‘unforeseen circumstance’ though on a weekly basis. Plan extra time to get everyone ready and out the door. Have a ‘Mass backpack’ for younger kids – have items in it that they only get to use at Mass. Items would depend on the age of the child of course and should or can be religious in nature. And even though mass may not begin until 9am, that doesn't mean you should be walking in the door at 9. How about give yourself 5-10 minutes to sit down, get everyone situated, calm your mind, and pray for a few minutes?
Okay, back to leaving Mass… At the end of Mass, we get a blessing and a dismissal. A reminder that we are to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of Christ. Yes, we all need that reminder. We also hear reminders of upcoming events and as part of the community, we need to hear these - as we are a vital part of that community of God. We build that community by praying together, by gathering as one together, by having a few words after mass together. That’s what it’s about. Coming together as a community to worship our God. From the beginning until the end. It’s only an hour. (Remember our Protestant brothers and sisters that are in their services for 3 – 4 hours! Lucky thing you’re Catholic and we only require 1 hour!)
Yes, if you’re feeling sick, it’s ok to leave early. Yes, if you’re pregnant and going into labor, for sure – go ahead and leave. There are of course legitimate reasons for leaving. Just make sure that your reason is – and that it’s not just a convenience factor that best suits you. How many times would you walk out of a board meeting at work once your boss has delivered the main point? Would you ever just get up and leave, or say ‘thanks. I got the rest. I need to get my lunch now.’ and leave? What would you do if you’re the boss and your employees did that to you at a meeting? I really doubt that would go over well. And yet we feel comfortable doing this to our Lord and God. Enough said.
In closing, a couple things to ponder:
In one church, the pastor had the servers get the processional candles at Communion and stand near the aisle where people return to their seats. If someone left, the servers were to follow them to their cars with the candles. Just a reminder that you have the Precious Body of our Lord in your body and that it should be revered in the same manner that we do during Eucharistic Adoration. Christ has just physically become part of us when we accept the Eucharist into our bodies.
And no article on leaving church early would be complete without this good ‘oldie’:
Remember that Judas was the first one to leave the Last Supper.
And you know what happened to him.