19 April, 2005

Delighted to be wrong

On several weblogs, I left comments suggesting that Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (aka der panzercardinal) would probably not be the next pope. Rarely have I been so delighted to have been so wrong. Ad multos annos!

I had biked to church for daily Mass (ours is 'round about noon) and I was amazed to see the following: before standing to read the Gospel, the priest lifted a cell phone, and dialed a number. He was unsuccessful in making a connection, and proceeded with the Mass, apologizing for the delay and indicating that he was trying to learn who was the new pope.

I asked myself: Do we really need to stop the Mass, just to find out who is the new Pope? The only answer I can determine is: No, we don't.

We have before us a greater-than-the pope here: the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of Christian life. I can wait until the end of Mass, and then some, before I learn who is the new pope.

Isn't it amazing? As recently as two centuries ago, most Catholics wouldn't have learned about the passing of one pope, or the election of a new one, for several days, maybe even weeks. Once technology progresses to where information becomes available immediately, not only do we expect it immediately, but we demand it immediately — even disrupting the eternal in order to learn more about that which passes.

I realize I'm weird, and I don't hold anything against the priest personally. (I generally like him, although I don't think he's quite as delighted with the election of der panzerpope as am I.) Nevertheless, that episode did strike me as very, very telling of our age.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Concerning your conversations on Harry Hutton's blog with that citizen PETA person, apples and oranges can't communicate. I see you are one of them papists? Maybe you could answer some dogma questions for me? Did jesus masterbate? He may well have experienced a 'nocturnal emission'and some ovulating female may have sat upon the semen (his mother perhaps?) and become one with child. This child may have grown up to procreate him/herself. My ancestors come from the middle east, It may be possible that I am a direct lineal descendant of jesus. In reading the bible I could not help but notice that the god entity has directly killed many, many people

Anonymous said...

especially in the old testament. You know the flood and the sodom thing. Now satan has not directly killed any human as far as I can see. Is it possible that folks are worshiping the wrong deity? xxoo GER

jack perry said...

Concerning your conversations on Harry Hutton's blog with that citizen PETA person...

I was a little thick there, wasn't I? Sometimes people take things too seriously, and as I proved, I'm not above that myself. I caught on after a short while, though: Hutton's blog is, after all, a comedy blog (though not so very good as it used to be, which is why I rarely visit anymore).

Sorry I can't answer the rest of your questions: I'm not a good comedian, and I'm too good at feeding trolls, which is why I've given up for Lent. (Orthodox Lent, that is.) God bless.

TS said...

That is surreal. If I'd read about a priest doing that in a book I'd think that ridiculously unlikely. I agree with you that it could wait.

jack perry said...

Surreal, indeed. If I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes, I'm not sure I'd have believed it. To think that usually priests ask us to turn our cell phones off before the start of Mass... :-)