Light On Dark Water

Divine Mercy Sunday

Maybe it's my thoroughly Protestant roots, but I've never been entirely comfortable with certain aspects of Catholicism. Indulgences and related things are among them. But I am devoted to the idea, at least, of the Divine Mercy devotions, because I feel myself to be in such need of mercy. Janet posted this on Facebook, and I'm not entirely comfortable with everything the priest says here. But I was arrested by the phrase "Not too much mercy."

I don't think I've ever made an "act of perfect contrition." Yeah, I've said the words, but knowing they weren't 100% true. But I try. 

I did watch a televised (crudely, via what I assume to be iPhone video) Mass today. I really have a lot of difficulty with that; it just feels wrong in some elemental way. I certainly don't feel a part of it, and the few times I've tried to say the prayers and other parts that the congregation normally says, I felt like I was in some crazy Oral Roberts type thing, where he tells you to put your hand on the TV to receive a healing. But it seems important not to let go of Sunday Mass, even if watching it on TV is more of a statement than a participation. 

Maclin Horton

9 responses to “Divine Mercy Sunday”

  1. Stu

    Just got off the phone with Daniel in Tuscaloosa. He says the Catholic Church there are doing reconciliation. You drive up, wait, then go in a larger room with the priest where the two of you are six feet apart.
    Right now in Diocese of Cheyenne I believe we are still not having confession except in cases of emergency (person will die).
    Peace be with you, Mac!

    Reply
  2. Janet

    I have been thinking about watching Mass online, and one day it occurred to me that we believe that when we are at Mass. We are present at Calvary, and if I can believe that, I am just going to believe that somehow I am going to be really present at that Mass.
    It helps that we have watched Mass at the same place almost every day for over a month now, and I feel at home there.
    I didn’t watch all of that video, because we just watched a 10-part series where he talks about the history of the Divine Mercy devotion, and we had just heard him describe the things necessary to receive the indulgence during the homily at Mass.
    AMDG

    Reply
  3. Don

    I went to a drive-thru confession yesterday (diocese of Rockville Centre, in everyone’s favorite hot-spot, Long Island, NY). They had a tent set up in the parking lot where the priest stood. I drove up next to it (they had cones set up to mark the distance) and rolled down my window and confessed. I’m not a fan of face-to-face confession, but when there’s no other way I’m a fan of any confession.

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  4. Mac

    Agreed,though I certainly don’t like face-to-face. Our bishop has not made any such provision so far, but maybe will soon. People are getting restless.
    And also with you, Stu.

    Reply
  5. Mac

    I don’t have an intellectual problem with the idea that we can be somehow present at a televised Mass. Come to that, you don’t even need the tv. We’ve always had the possibility of spiritual communion. It’s the tv itself and it’s a fundamental instinctual thing. Hard to articulate.

    Reply
  6. Janet

    I really understand that. I have never done it under any other circumstances–like when I am sick. It has just been a very positive experience during the past month. For one thing, the priest (Fr. Devine, no less) always sees something in the scriptures that I have never thought about before. This happens almost every day.
    AMDG

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  7. Mac

    A difficulty I have, which ought to be minor but gets significant when I actually try to do this, is that I have a lot of trouble paying attention to anything on the computer for more than about 10 minutes. The Mass I watched yesterday had no homily.

    Reply
  8. Janet

    So, we are going to start having Mass for the public in Memphis on May 16.
    AMDG

    Reply
  9. Mac

    I’m not sure what’s happening here. Something of that sort should be. There’s some kind of state partial re-open starting, but I’ve been preoccupied with other things for the past few days and haven’t paid much attention.

    Reply

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