Showing Reverence in a Catholic Church

How did we, as Catholics, get to this point? People coming into Mass dressed as though they just stepped off of the tennis court. People coming into the Nave as if they were entering a social hall without genuflecting or even acknowledging Jesus' presence before sitting in the pew. People walking into the Nave speaking in a loud voice, regardless of whether there is anyone else in the church. 

Jesus is Waiting

In a Catholic Church, the Sanctuary is our "most holy place". This is where Jesus is in the Tabernacle on the Altar. Even though He's not exposed, He is there. He waits for us. He waits to be revered. He waits to be worshiped. He waits to be glorified. Not just during Mass...every single moment of every single day He waits.  Tom Nash (Catholic Answers) writes: Church tabernacles located in sanctuaries, and often behind altar rails, are a New Covenant analogue to the holy of holies in the Old Covenant Temple in Jerusalem. How do we know Jesus is in the Tabernacle? Look for a red candle. Anytime Jesus is present, a red candle should be lit near the Tabernacle. The Code of Canon Law 940 cites: A special lamp which indicates and honors the presence of Christ is to shine continuously before a tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved.  

The first thing any Catholic should do upon entering a church is to look for the tabernacle. Having found it, before entering a pew or approaching the altar, one should genuflect. In my opinion, we are becoming lazy with bowing instead of genuflecting. Obviously, if the person is unable to bend the knee, then bowing should be done. St. Thomas Aquinas is attributed to saying Satan doesn't have knees because he genuflects to no one. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal No. 274 states A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil. 

When the Nave isn't Used for Mass

At my Parish, there are times when the Nave is used for things other than Mass, like retreats or the Parish Mission. I've noticed that there are people who don't seem to know (or remember) that Jesus is waiting in the Tabernacle, that this is the place where bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and that the reverence should still be there even if there isn't a Mass being celebrated. It saddens me that people aren't being educated in reverence. It may be okay in a Protestant Church, where the real presence of Jesus is, well, absent. But not in a Catholic Church. Before anyone comments or thinks about why I am looking around instead of focusing on Jesus let me say this: It's hard not to notice if it happens right in front of you. 

Then there's the "gum issue". The first time I went to a Protestant Service was in college. A roommate invited me home for the weekend and we went to this small Southern Baptist Church in Northeast Tennessee. Just for point of reference: this is the same place where an elephant was hung. But I digress...We went in and sat down, and my friend immediately asked if I wanted a piece of gum. I asked, "You can chew gum at church?" which had the family in stitches.  The difference is that Jesus isn't present in a Tabernacle in a Southern Baptist Church. Quoting Tom Nash again: God is indeed present everywhere (omnipresent), and yet he manifested his presence most intimately in Old Covenant times in the holy of holies. 

Last Thoughts

How would you dress/act if invited to a highfalutin banquet? Jesus is calling us to the most important banquet of our lives. There are days when I'm doing well to get to Mass, much less dress up. We've all heard (or even used) the argument that Jesus doesn't care how we're dressed...He's just glad we're there. I'm guilty, but show modesty. I'd much rather see someone in a t-shirt or sweatshirt and jeans than in something resembling a tennis dress or clothes that look like they just got off the beach/lake. 

Make the effort. Show Jesus the reverence He deserves. Learn how to quiet yourself when walking into the Nave. In doing so, you also respect those who arrive early to pray and prepare themselves for Mass. Let's bring back the reverence!