Looking To His Coming Again

I make mention of it on occasion (most often in private conversation), namely, the tradition of celebrating Mass ad orientem (to the east). It’s a term that describes the posture of the priest during the celebration of the Mass. You may recall, for example, the way we celebrated Mass during the shutdown while streaming from the rectory chapel. Some may describe it as when “the priest has his back to the people," but I prefer to think of it as when “the priest is facing the same direction as the people,” namely, to the east (ad orientem), or, toward the Lord's coming.

You may recall, also, that two years ago, during Advent, I celebrated the 12PM Mass on Sundays in the church facing the same direction as you. It seemed fitting, because the Season of Advent is about looking to the birth of Christ, and, therefore, looking to His coming. It was a good experience anyway. And although I don’t feel called to do that this year, I do hope we will keep our hearts open to the possibility of returning to this posture in the future.

To be sure, the priest prays Mass in the person of Christ the Head, but the lay faithful are also in Christ as members of His Body. Our present posture, however, versus populum (towards the people) can lead to navel gazing; the priest looks at the people and the people look at the priest. Or, if you will, the head looks at the body, and the body looks at the head. The problem with that posture is that it can leave the world unchanged by the Church, since navel gazers don't go outward toward others; they are too busy looking inward at themselves.

It occurs to me, as I write this, that my decision to write about this kind of liturgical consideration may be perceived by some as navel gazing! But stay with me. I think there is real value here.

It seems to me, for example, that one of the big enablers (if not causes) of the abuse crisis is that the posture of versus populum actually promotes a sense of clerical entitlement, distorting the relationship between the priest and the people. To be sure, while it is possible to pray together to Christ versus populum (as I believe we have been) I think the posture can also be a hindrance at times. Like a teenager obsessed with his/her own body, the Church turns in on Herself by the way we celebrate Mass. It can become, as Pope Benedict said, a community celebrating itself.

I am of the opinion that the posture of versus populum can be insidious, leading the priest to think of himself as a kind of demigod, the only one with permission to go in a different direction, the one who controls the Church, the one who reigns over the assembly. How much better it would be for the salvation of that priest to know himself again as a man who is truly with his people, leading them in prayer like the pilot of a plane who faces the same direction while journeying with them.

This is not about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (the Latin Mass), but it is about recovering the ad orientem posture. It could help the priest; if he is facing the sanctuary, he could be less distracted by the movement in the pews during the Eucharistic Prayer. And I believe that it could help the people; seeing the priest praying toward Christ who comes to us at Mass could serve as a constant refocusing invitation to join him in prayer when we see him doing so. +