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Sunday, December 13, 2015

Observations from the Back of the Church


This weekend I helped sell items for Christmas.  I attended all the Masses--All.  I wasn't there the whole time, I waited until what I thought was Communion and went inside the church.  I stayed in the back until the recession and then I ran out to do my job.

There are two classes of people in church.  There's the "up front" people.  They occupy the seats closest to the altar.  They tend to be ministers in various functions, e.i., readers, bring up the Offertory, etc.  They are the last to leave the church.  They are the most sociable and spend an inordinate amount of time talking after Mass.   They also make the best customers.  They spend and buy and it's not unusual for them to just give money as a donation and not want anything.

Then there're the people who sit in the back.  They often come in late and leave early.  But you know what, and this is my personal observation, they are the more devotional.  Every Mass, every single Mass, had a couple of people who stood in the back (by choice, they were plenty of seats), and kneel on the concrete floor during the consecration and again, to pray, "Oh Lord, I am not worthy."  Note this, then they leave--no Communion.  They just receive Spiritual Communion.  They're not too friendly, either.  They don't look happy.  They won't look you in the eye.  They come in to pray and worship the best they can and don't stick around to socialize, drink coffee, etc.  The others in the back, who have seats seem to be quiet ones.  They pray and mind their own business.  They were not my best customers.

Those that left early just rushed by.  Of course, they didn't buy anything they were in a hurry to get somewhere.

Where do I sit?  I usually sit as close to the heat as possible. 

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