Rushing Through Mass

Reflecting on an experience at an abbey, AnneMarie Miller ponders the significance of silence in the liturgy.

“May the Lord—” My voice broke off as I realized that no one else in the abbey church was speaking. I looked around, hoping that no one heard my enthusiastic response. There was silence. It was just a pause, but it felt endless. Then I heard a chorus of voices rise from the pews by the sanctuary: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good of all His holy Church.”

I looked at the monks who occupied those pews and realized that they weren’t in any rush. The entire Mass had been marked with periodic silence and prayerful hesitation. I sensed that this monastic community was not in any rush to immediately give verbal responses, as I had done.

I thought about how rushed I tend to be, even at Mass. As soon as the priest says a prayer, I blurt out the response. As soon as we’re supposed to stand, I rise up. Especially when I have a child who is quickly reaching his or her limit of “good behavior,” I feel a sense of urgency.

It’s easy for me to get caught up in how long the First Reading is and wanting to rush through the Mass. Even if all of my children are quiet and composed, I still fall into this rushed mentality at times. I start to think about all of the tasks I plan to accomplish that day. I quickly say the responses and prayers without thinking about what I’m saying.

However, following that Mass with the monks, I kept thinking of what I had experienced. With restraint and peace, the monks were unrushed in their responses. They were truly living and praying on God’s time, not their own.

Their monastic witness invites me to stop rushing and slowly step into God’s presence at Mass. This is hard to do, especially when a crying baby is in my arms or a lot of tasks are on my “to do” list. Yet, stepping away from the chaos of the day is important—especially when I’m prayerfully participating in the liturgy.

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I quickly say the responses and prayers without thinking about what I’m saying. #CatholicMom

At Mass, I don’t need to fill moments of silence with the noise of my voice or the clamor of my thoughts. Instead, I can strive to prayerfully guide my heart and mind towards God. I don’t need to grumble about how long the readings are. Instead, I can joyfully receive the gift of God’s Word and thank Him for this gift. I can slow down and immerse myself in the prayers, silence, and offering of the liturgy.

What are other ways we can stop rushing through Mass?

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