Snup's View From the Back Pew: Cathedral of St. Andrew

Sometimes, especially when I'm cranky, I wonder if I shouldn't just stay home from Mass and do everyone a favor. Because when I'm cranky, I'm less inclined to cut people slack. I'm also not happy down here so it's like a double whammy. This also might be why I wait until 9 at night to write these things up.

I attended the 8:30 am Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, the seat of the diocese.

Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord or Candlemas. Father wore white and said that it's the 40th day after Christmas. And that's about it. And then after the opening prayer was like oh, people brought candles, I should bless them. And that was the end of the celebration of the Presentation of the Lord. No explanation as to why candles are being blessed. No explanation as to why candles have anything to do with the Presentation of the Lord. No processions. Just another regular Sunday morning. I'm pretty sure most people have no idea that there are candles and processions for today. I only know because of the Latin Mass...and I went to the New Cathedral in St. Louis and Monsignor was like candles! procession! and there were 5 people at Mass. It was awesome. I wonder if we got to keep the candles it would be more of a big deal... What is the point of having feasts if we don't celebrate them? What is the point of having a rich Catholic heritage if we throw it away? Why are we even Catholic then? I feel like Bilbo at the end of Hobbit 2 as the Smaug escapes: What have we done? (Perhaps the candles were blessed last night or perhaps they were being blessed at the Noon Mass... but let's think on Ash Wednesday...what if you went to an Ash Wednesday Mass and there were no ashes? It sometimes happens on Palm Sunday..the palms get blessed at the first Mass but there is usually a procession..although I've seen palms blessed multiple times...just so the experience can happen...)

Music:
The music was supplied by an organ and a cantor..who only sang the 4 hymns and the Responsorial Psalm...the rest of the Mass Parts were spoken (Hey it's just a Sunday...not like a its a Feast of anything...)
Opening: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Offertory: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Communion: O Light of the Gentile Nations
Closing: Love Divine, All Love's Excelling

Father used Penitential Rite B. There was dead silence when he said the first part....guess it's not used to often...

I think I should have had an inkling of how the homily was going to go after Confession. (Awww you committed a mortal sin? Jesus loves you, have a cookie... contrast this with Confession with the FSSP priest...you committed a mortal sin! Are you going to do it again? Uh...The correct answer is no... Sir No Sir!)
You've all heard that old yarn about the man who lived near the river. The police came to his house and told him to leave as a flood was coming. The man refused saying God would save him. The water came and the man was forced to the 2nd floor. The firemen in the boats came to save him. The man refused. He was forced to the roof and a helicopter came to save him. The man refused again saying God would save him. Needless to say, the man was swept away and drowned. The man was at the Pearly Gates and met God and asked God why He didn't save him. God was like I sent you help three times, you did not take it. We pray for help from God all the time. God answers us and we don't take the help or don't notice it or we don't like it (Cause God's hysterical...dear God...I really really need a job, ok! Here you go...in Little Rock!...:::heavenly giggles::) That is the story of Simeon. Simeon's only wish was to see the Christ and God granted that wish. It is all about fulfillment which we hear about in the first reading. What are we seeking? God or a quick fix? (How about God giving us a quick fix? Is that an option? God comes to our door and we don't let Him in. Our house is messy or we fine some other excuse not to let Him in and we only talk to Him at the door (Hey God, if you come over with another PS3 controller and a racing game you can come in and we can play...and I'll win...and then you can do my dishes :D ) We can let God into all areas of our lives. We don't see how God is leading us to... (...right off a cliff...) Forgiveness, humbleness, some other stuff that he said while i was distracted making faces at the baby... Seeking the Savior. He is leading us to a new approach. We may not like it. God always has a better plan (I'm not really liking this phase of the plan...) Go where He leads. God is never late. (I feel like some of this came out of some training I had to do at work...)

Father used Eucharistic Prayer III and there were bells.

Pictures: (sorry the windows are so dark...it's raining...)