The above image says it all, but not what you might expect me to write. The left version of the Mass is an extroverts’ delight. Here, clergy and laity can really put themselves forward, be entertaining and entertained. It’s all about exuberance of personality, individually and collectively.
Augusta, Georgia in the very early 1970’s became ground zero for the charismatic movement, in particular in the very neighborhood and parish I grew up and was living. I was perplexed as a young teenager to see once dour-looking, introspective people at the pre-Vatican II Mass being liberated in their spirituality and praise by the charismatic expressions of prayer and praise, sometimes dragged into the Mass.
I didn’t know what to make of it. But I think now that repressed extroverts in terms of Catholic spirituality, especially the pre-Vatican II expression of the Mass’s spirituality, were liberated and coming out to be their true selves.
The right side of the picture above, shows that introverted, introspected pre-Vatican II expression of spirituality. It is sober, calm, not about the person and certainly not about the community.
To me, as the meme protests, it is about God and not about God entertaining us, but rather God pulling us, by His divine Grace, into His wonderful orbit of love and sacrifice, of eternal life and faith, hope and love.
Our presence at Mass does not eclipse the Real Presence of God or make our presence an entertaining experience for extraverts.
So, it seems to this most humble, introverted blogger, who works extremely hard to be extraverted, that the real battle in today’s Church is between controlling extraverts and passive introverts.
Do I hear an “amen”?
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