Which Pew Are You

A couple of weeks ago, a friend posted a question on Facebook that started a huge discusison on the simple geography of where one sits at Mass on Sunday.

Very, very quickly people jumped in and bewailed how there are so few of the good sort of Catholics who sit quietly, reverentially and so very close to the altar. They disparaged those that lurk near the doors of the church, hinting that those in the back pews are on the cusp of their seats, ready to flea as soon as they receive the Eucharist (and only the Body, not the Blood - they are bad Catholics after all).

I stumbled on this post after about a dozen others had traveled along the line of congratulating themselves and others for sitting in the front pews and happily pointing fingers at those bad ones in the back.

And I was mad. Really mad.

We're not even going to touch the whole 'judge not' thing - someone else, long ago, covered that point much better than I could.

Are these people paying attention? Are they even paying attention to the theology they hold so dearly to? Is not Christ present in the community at Mass? Keeping one's head down, only gazing at the altar and the priest, you miss Him in one of the ways He is present.

Also, do those people in the front realize what they have said to Him? Do they realize that there are young families who sit in those bad pews so that their toddlers can have a bit of space and they can escape to change dirty diapers? Do they realize that there are people who are handicaped that find the harsh eyes of judgment too much? Do they realize that these special brothers and sisters of ours, are trying not to disturb the 'goodness' of those up front? Do those good ones, up front, realize the doctors, nurses, police officers, military reservists, that sneak in during that opening hymn (or Heaven forbid during the second reading) are just eternally grateful for an hour of peace to center them in the midst of serving their community? Do those in front, realize their lay ministers may be hiding out in the back because they don't want to receive that tap on the shoulder during the Prayers of the Faithful asking why we didn't pray for life issues this week (despite the fact that we prayed for the incarcerated and the immigrants)?

What really irks me is knowing a saintly frined of mine, a single mom (gasp) with two children. She adopted these kids. So she faces the judgement of those who see a single parent at Church with a resigned heart. What she shouldn't have had to face was the cutting remarks and harsh looks of those in front when her youngest acted out. This little child (did He not say to bring them to Him?), came from a horrible medical background and had gone through countless foster homes. No, all those up front saw was a little girl with a single mother acting out.

When my friend moved to the back, they helped her. Those bad ones in the back offered board books on Bible stories, pouches of cereal, and understanding hugs during the Sign of Peace. Yes, bad Catholics in deed.

So perhaps before we judge people at Mass based off where they choose to sit, we should get to know each other a bit. Maybe instead of allowing our self-righteous thoughts or annoyances to cloud our judgement, we should look for Christ in our neighbor. For Christ is there at Mass - in the one praying the Rosary before the entrance hymn just as much as the single parent arriving late with a child in tow.

Christ came for all. The rest is just geography.