Fourth Sunday of Year B - 1st February 2009

"CIC"

You may have noticed that the CWL are having their AGM and they might find the FSA or IMF approach to GNP of the GDR a bit OTT. What a mouthful! Shorthand is everywhere, so I thought I'd join the club and say something about CIC. What is it? Chatting in Church!

The church is indeed "our Father's house" and we should feel at home in it, but at the same time there is a very special presence that we have always referred to as "the real presence". Now we all know that God is everywhere, but there is something special about the red lamp that tells us the Blessed Sacrament is in the tabernacle. I think we need to teach our young people about this, and especially by example.

We believe that when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of our Lord at Mass, they remain so until they are no longer recognisable as having the appearances of bread and wine. For example our digestive system is pretty potent and change takes place within minutes—but we do have a short, very special and precious time after communion when we are with the Lord and the Lord is with us.

And what about when Mass is over. We reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle and show reverence to it by bowing or genuflecting and maintaining a reverent attitude around it. Many people like to stay on for a while in the church, and we should respect their desire to be quietly with the Lord in a very personal way.

I think we can also make a case for before Mass begins. Again many people come early, precisely to get themselves into a prayerful frame of mind to hear the word of God, to offer sacrifice and to receive grace and blessings. I think in fairness to them, there are times they might think they are in the Odeon rather than Sacred Heart.