Lack of Reverence

I know many of the posters here are converts to the faith. I am sure you know all about the traditional Catholics who much prefer things the way they were before Vatican II. I will leave the theological arguments to the theologians. However, there is absolutely no doubt that there is much less reverence and respect accorded to God today. I like to tell this story as an example.

When I was a youngster, it was the practice to remove a child's tonsils. So, when I was about 8, I went in to have the operation. Since I would be there on a Sunday morning and this was a Catholic hospital, I wanted to receive. I knew that the priest would come with Jesus. To let us know that he was arriving, someone (a nun?) rang a bell so we could get ready. I remember kneeling in my bed. The priest carried the hosts reverently and it was all quite serious. After all, God was coming.

Fast forward about 30 odd years. My niece had just had a baby and I was visiting her in the hospital. We were chatting when this woman walks in the room and says without preamble, "Do you want to receive Communion?" She might as well have said, "do you want a tuna fish sandwich?". I was quite shocked. I was happy that my niece had the good sense to say no as she does not observe her faith.

This extraordinary minister of the Eucharist had no idea of my niece's situation. I could picture her how just walking up and down the halls of the hospital, offering Jesus to all comers: Catholic, non-Catholics, people not in a state of grace, etc.

Do you see the difference? That is what was lost.

Sad, isn't it? I guess we should pray and work in our parishes to bring about a more reverent spirit.