Tomorrow

Tomorrow, my sweet girl, it will be Palm Sunday.  Mass will begin with the blessing of palms, and a procession.  You will be fascinated.  You love processions.


After that, Mass will begin, and in a few minutes it will be time for the reading of the Gospel.  You will hear the story of the Passion for the very first time.  It will be read three more times this week:  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; the Passion narrative will be read once from each of the four Gospels this week.  It's a long story and you'll probably get impatient.  I'll take you to the back of the church and walk back and forth, but because we are in Passiontide, all the images will be covered in purple and there won't be much to look at.


This story, which you will hear for the first time tomorrow, is the reason there is a crucifix in each of the main rooms in our home.  Listen well, my girl; this is the center of our Faith.

Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth by Marco Palmezzano.
Image from Wikimedia commons.

The House of God

Tomorrow, my sweet baby, we will go to the house of God.  Because it is the house of God, I will wear a pretty skirt and shirt, and my Sunday shoes, and a chapel veil.  Because it is the house of God, I will dress you in a pretty dress, and your daddy will wear a coat and tie.  Because people are there to pray in the house of God, we will be quiet in church.  When you are happy and start to coo, even though I am glad you are happy, I will say, "shh" instead of striking up a conversation with you like I would at home.  This is not our house; it is the house of God.

To See God

Tomorrow, my sweet baby, we will go to see God.  Where will we see Him?

When we arrive at the church, we will see the red sanctuary lamp burning, which tells us that our Lord is present in the tabernacle.  Seeing this, we will genuflect as we enter the church as a gesture of reverence because we are coming into the presence of God.

The tabernacle is on the altar, which is also Christ.  That is why the altar wears vestments, which will be green tomorrow.

You will look around at all the other people in the church.  They are made in the image and likeness of God.

The priest, also, is another Christ, and he will wear vestments to match the altar.  When he speaks the words of consecration, he will speak the words of Jesus, in the person of Jesus.  When he touches the host, it is because his hands have been anointed and consecrated for the service of our Lord.  His hands are the hands of Christ.

During the beginning of Mass, before you fall asleep, you will look around at the stations of the Cross on the walls of the church.  These are images of the passion of Christ.

After the consecration, the priest will lift up the host so that we can see it.  That is Jesus.

After Mass, as I kneel behind the back pew making my thanksgiving for Communion, I will hold you as you sleep.  You also are made in the image and likeness of God.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, my sweet baby, we will go to Mass.  Tomorrow we will rise early, and I  will feed you, if you will let me.  Tomorrow I will dress you in a pretty dress, because it will be Sunday.  Your daddy will put on a coat and tie and drive us all to the Church.  Tomorrow I will wear a chapel veil, as St. Paul says, "because of the angels," and out of respect for the Eucharist. 
Tomorrow you and I will sit together in a pew near the back, not far from the cry room, just in case you need to nurse, while your daddy goes to sing chant in the choir.  Tomorrow the priest will come in and process down the aisle with the altar boys, and then kneel down and intone the Asperges, and sprinkle everyone with holy water while the choir sings "Sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed.  Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."  It is a reminder of baptism.  Do you remember your baptism?  It wasn't so long ago.
Tomorrow you will watch the priest and servers go up and down the aisle.  Tomorrow you will look at the stained glass windows, and smile at anyone who is sitting behind us, and smile at St. Anthony and St. Patrick if we sit near their statues.
Tomorrow you will watch everything with great interest until you get tired, and then you will fuss, and sometime during the sermon you will fall asleep (just don't tell Father!).  Tomorrow, all during the
Canon, I will kneel on the floor behind the back pew, because there isn't enough room to kneel in the pew and hold you.
And tomorrow I will receive Our Lord Jesus.  I will go and kneel at the Communion rail, with you asleep on my chest, and I will receive Holy Communion, as you also will do when you are old enough to understand.  And my heart will ache because I long for that day, just as today I am longing for tomorrow.