Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Same And Different

Last Sunday we were scrambling to get everyone where they were supposed to be and still hadn't gone to mass.  The only available mass for our schedule was a Spanish Mass in a not too good part of the city.  We went.  The sole white folks there.  We didn't know a word of Spanish except Amen and God.  But we knew the mass and the meaning of it.  In our usual church which is big and beautiful and dazzling brand new, we are familiar there...and fit right in with all the other white rich Catholics.  This Spanish Mass was not white or rich.  We looked at them and thought  "Oh, they are poor.  They don't have cars or houses or money."  I wondered if they looked at us and thought.  " Oh, they are poor.  They have cars and houses and money...but do they love each other or love the cars and houses and money?"
Posted by Annmarie Pipa at 3:39 PM

52 comments:

  1. Makes you think , doesn't it?
    Jane x

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  2. Short, but to the point. It is nice to have stuff, I love my stuff, but it is important to always remember...It is just stuff.

    Cranky Old Man

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  3. The first year we were married and at my in-laws house for Christmas, the closest Catholic church served a predominately hispanic congregation. I also do not speak Spanish and attended Christmas Eve midnight mass by myself and was so moved by "feeling" mass rather than my standard rote worship; I actually believe that service personally touched me the most of any mass.

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  4. Sweet:) Worshiping is great in any language! Happy that you went! Have a blessed day, HUGS!

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  5. It is not the people you are there for, even if the color of their skin is different. Rather, it is to Worship your Heavenly Father, giving Him Honor and Praise, right? Something my grandma would say to us! Hugs

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  6. Good for you for trying out something different. I have prayed at synagogues throughout the world, and I love how no matter where I go, the service is the same and I become a part of that community for a few hours or days.

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  7. Hi! Thanks for stopping by - we were following each other already! Thanks for the extra one! Have a good weekend. xo

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  8. Loved your sentiments :-) Truly, happiness is not about cars and houses.

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  9. It does give you pause doesn't it? Wealth is such a subjective thing...

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  10. It pays to have to stop and think about such questions from time to time. Hope your week is going swell!

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  11. When we travel overseas we find a catholic church where the locals go and let me tell you, it humbles you.

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  12. It's a good thing to move out of our comfort zones once in a while. Bendiciones!

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  13. Certainly food for thought. Somehow I don't think Jesus would judge people by the opulence of the church they attend.

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  14. Does make you look at things through a different lens, which is great sometimes.

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  15. Some interesting insight. Reminds me of, years ago, when my then-boyfriend and I visited an all-black church. We'd just left the movies, where we saw "A Patch of Blue", and if you're familiar with that movie, you might have an inkling of how we were feeling when we left the theater. Anyway, we were walking past a black Baptist church, where the doors were swung wide open, and the most wonderfully uplifting music was spilling out. We paused, and a child who'd been playing around the side of the little church came up to us and smiled. "Go on in," he urged. "It's okay. My daddy's the minister." So we did. And even though we were the only white people in that church, we felt right at home. Got lots of smiles. It seems that skin color didn't matter a bit in that church, because it was busting out the seams with the Holy Spirit.

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  16. What great exposure for your children! What did they think about it? I'd be curious to get their reactions and thoughts. Also, just a gentle reminder, even those that drive BMW's are able to know God just as personally as those that ride a burro. :-)

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  17. God seen no difference in what we wear, where or what we drive. Just what he sees in our hearts. Thought provoking.

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  19. I loved this post, you said it so well. I'm curious also what the kids thought?

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  20. Sometimes it's nice to go by feelings as opposed to words... :)

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  21. That sure is a great reminder for what is truly valuable.

    Danielle

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  23. Great post! I went to a Spanish mass on Ash Wednesday once by accident and it was definitely a different experience.

    xo,
    Angela
    headtotoechic.blogspot.com

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  24. It may be a surprise to find that the white rich folks mass and the Spanish mass is know different ...God only looks at the sincerity of worship in the hearts.If they are true believers they are all the same to the Lord.

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  26. Makes one wonder doesn't it love and family are so important to me more so then cars and houses and money..........I am rich even though I have little money and we do not own our own home but still so rich......

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  27. Humbling experience isn't it. Thanks for this post. Makes you think.
    -Steph

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  28. I like this post, very interesting. People are people no matter if you are rich or poor, everybody is somebody. The mass that my husband I go to are usually older people. I love going to that mass we have gotten to know so many of these people and now we are more like a family.

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  29. I prefer the love of my family over riches and it is a good thing as none of us seem to be getting rich. lol

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  30. What a great experience! You should catch that service more often and then maybe you'll find more similarities...make friends and realize the riches of the heart that you share!

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  32. Sounds like a good experience!

    =)

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  33. It is interesting how we look at one another in our various realms and wonder. In reality I think we all love and cherish and want the same things regardless of money or status. Lovely post!

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  34. We need to remember that these things we value and invest in can be gone in a minute; earthly possessions are only temporary. Often it will require leaving our comfort zone and focus on not being selfish with our time and material things. How blessed you must have felt attending a diverse place of worship; great post! :)

    Blessings and hugs,
    Denise

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  35. There is more to life than money.

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  37. You may have not understood many words but isn't it wonderful that God's spirit is not limited by language! Thought provoking post!

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  38. Thought provoking post. I am always amazed when I go to other places of worship. Also, sometimes I think that we were happier when we had less. With more stuff comes more complication!

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  39. A great post. IT goes to show how little people need to be happy sometimes.

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  40. I've been more on the side of the poor and wondering about the rich... for a long time, I never wondered if they are happy or if they love each other. I just wondered how it would be to be rich and do not worry about what to eat or if there's something to eat daily... or how it is to worry in class that you cannot buy the books that the teached asked you to buy... or how it is not to have to walk a lot because you do not have a car nor money to pay for a taxi or bus fare. But as I grew and met rich kids/people having broken family being money the reason for this... I realized I am more than thankful for coming from where I came from. Great post!!

    Spanish Pinay

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  41. Some of the best church services I have attended have been in what one would consider a "poor, rundown church". While I can fit in with both classes, the funny thing is, I much prefer the poor folks company. They know how to laugh, live, and cherish what's important in life. Yes, I like "things" too, but at the end of they day, they are still just things I know I could survive without. Great post today!

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  42. It is always good to go outside of our comfort zone and see things from another perspective. :)

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  43. We were just talking about this in our Lenten prayer group this week! I guess it's good to get outside of your comfort zone every once in a while :) Thank you for stopping by, and for your sweet comments, I'm following you right back!

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  44. The culture shock must be overwhelming at times, but once you open your heart to God in any setting you will understand his Word.

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  45. Good morning sweets...this was a very insightful post. I think the most important part of this was wrapped up in the end: "I wondered if they looked at us and thought." Oh, they are poor. They have cars and houses and money...but do they love each other or love the cars and houses and money?" I have always been one to say money buys "things" but the one "thing" it cannot buy is "happiness and Love". What an awesome way to look beyond your surroundings....maybe that was the message for you to take away from a service you couldn't understand vocally? Excellent post by the way! Hugs...

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  46. A very insightful post. I bet the people in that church you visited feel rich...with their strong community and family bonds and faith.

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  47. You are seeing both sides of the coin.

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  48. It'd be interesting to hear your kids take on the experience. I know there are times when I will see the differences, when my 7yr old will see the similarities. Great post! Thanks for sharing.

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  49. Were you made to feel welcome, I do hope so.

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  50. Food for thought. The second greatest commandment...Love your neighbor (which includes your family) as yourself. This was a sweet and succinct lesson.

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  51. Good for you, first of all, for going to Mass at a place so far out of your comfort zone, and second for understanding what true wealth really is. :o)

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  52. such an excellent post, such a good lesson for the kids as well.For you to go and not speak the language is amazing, I hope you were made to feel welcome,

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