4 O’Clock Mass
Going to 4 o’clock mass has its pluses and minuses.
On the plus side–going on Saturday afternoon leaves Sunday morning free. No mass, and no guilt because you opted to sleep in, lounge around and read the Times, didn’t feel like it, and so on. The slackers out there will know what I mean. Attendance at Saturday vigil frees me to go kayaking early Sunday morning without having to worry about cleaning up for church. It’s also wonderful to have a whole day without any obligations–a totally free day.
On the minus side–4 o’clock mass is pretty close to dinner time, and if you skipped lunch and you’re hungry–starving(!) it’s hard to get through Mass without thinking about dinner. This particular Saturday I had reservations at the North Fork Table & Inn www.northforktableandinn.com and I knew the second the last note of the last hymn faded away, we were going to jump in the car and head off to arguably the best restaurant on the North Fork. (I think Jedediah Hawkins Inn www.jedehiahhawkinsinn.com is a razor’s edge second–but it’s hard to say.)
So I went through 4 o’clock Mass with a split mind, a split heart, a split focus:
“Being Christian is not a popularity contest.” — “I hope the sermon isn’t too long we can get out of here.”
“The church is really packed. It’s nice to be here with so many people. It’s really good to be together with other people in a spiritual way.” — “I wonder what’s on the menu? I had the lobster the last time; I hope they still have that pork dish mentioned in the review.”
“Help me to be a better person. Help me to learn how to deal wisely with difficult people.” — “Should I share a dessert, or just get my own?”
For the record–I didn’t share.
