Disclaimer: This post probably won't contain very much CM-worthy content (read: no official Catholic Church teaching or commentary). These are just random thoughts =).As some of you know, this year's annual Watermark Tijuana trip has been officially canceled. It was partly due to the Mexican drug wars and partly due to the outbreak of swine flu, among other things. If you've been following the news, you're probably aware of the mild hysteria that has broken out regarding swine flu (it's even reached the Bay Area!). Now I like being safe and healthy as much as the next guy, but sometimes I'm surprised at the level of fear that breaks out at these sort of things. I mean I can definitely empathize as I'm a little paranoid about my nagging cough right now and people probably shouldn't cough and sneeze in their hands only to touch each other and hm...maybe I shouldn't have eaten those slightly discolored pork jiao zi last night...and um...where was I going with this?
Oh yah! This fear of the spread of infectious disease always makes me think of two reactions I've seen in certain parts of the Mass at SJCCC - holding hands during the Lord's Prayer and drinking from the cup during communion. I realize that holding hands during the Lord's Prayer isn't a liturgical mandate and only came into practice post-Vatican II, but prior to the SARS outbreak, I had never been to a Mass at SJCCC where we didn't hold hands. I also remember being in a Union (Family) Mass where it was announced that we were not going to hold hands in order to calm fears of spreading diseases. In addition, last week, it was announced during Union Mass that we were not going to be receiving from the cup that week. I know that hands are probably one of the grimiest parts of the body and that everyone sharing from the same cup can cause some germaphobic qualms, but sometimes I get this weird tension that it's pushing us further into ourselves and into more isolation. Perhaps I'm just a product of my upbringing and really enjoy the connectedness and communion I feel with the entire assembly during the Lord's Prayer when our hands are joined as we prepare for the True Communion with Christ. And I always think, shouldn't the Blood of Christ have some sort of self-healing properties like soap or something? Sure, there are germs left on the chalice from each person's lips touching it, but I imagine the Blood of Christ just washing it away just like it washes away our sins...
Anyhow, do yourself a favor and check to see if you have swine flu:
http://doihaves
...
Haha, I kid, I kid.
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6 comments:
Looks like Diocese of Austin is taking precaution too:
http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2009/04/swine-flu.html
Henry, care to comment?
Pat, the spread of diseases is, unfortunately, quite real. As a (budding) epidemiologist, I have become a lot more focused on this aspect of the sharing of the blood during communion.
Back during the SARS outbreak in 2003, because Toronto experienced a large surge of probable/confirmed cases, Catholic churches in Toronto decided NOT to share the communion cup.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2003/04/15/sars_ont_030415.html
Currently, other dioceses throughout the US are making this precaution right now.
I understand the need for unity but I believe there is also a need for safety and public health that we all should consider.
this is a great site if you want to keep track of the latest updates!
http://twitter.com/schwarzenegger
my friend who works for him says it's actually him. some of it is pretty funny.
so far we have 29 confirmed cases and 130 probable cases in CA
dude i wish we held hands in family Mass though... it makes me sad that we dont anymore
Gabe!
I didn't know you read this blog!
I probably wouldn't be able to hang in a debate with a DOCTOR in public policy and I definitely hear the need for safety and public health. On further reflection, I suppose that the slight dissatisfaction that I feel probably finds its roots not in the precautions taken, but in the overall lack of unity I sometimes feel at Masses I have attended. Somehow, bowing to each other when I'm used to hugging during the Sign of Peace gives me the sense of, "Eww, you're contagious," versus one of respect though I can understand that on some level, we're trying to respect each others bodies. Maybe I'm pessimistic, but I just don't think that most people are thinking, "Because I love you, I will deny myself and bow to you so that you don't get sick from me and I don't get sick from you." At worst, the ambiance, IMHO, can feel individualistic/exclusive from an ethnic, cultural, social, etc. point of view and at best, it's another reminder that the Body of Christ is made up of broken people and that we are all in need of a Savior. Yes, let's be safe, but I really desire more unity and hope we can find other ways to foster it.
Anyhow, in the spirit of unity, it's good to have old school Watermarkers still representing even cross country. Congrats on the little one, homey.
Yeah, I agree with Gabe. It is wise and loving of the Church to take these precautions when necessary even at the expense of feeling "more united."
Firstly, on the Real Presence of Christ, it's the substance that's changed, not the accidents. So if there were virus and bacteria, it will still be transferred even though we see the results of being sick as a physical evil. This in no way reduces the Real Presence of Christ, of God. Since He's the one that created everything (so the whole "God made dirt so dirt don't hurt" isn't necessarily true here as much as we like to believe in that!! haha) And even though it's the real body of Christ, there's nothing "magical" about Him like Pat's ever-self-cleaning soap! :)
Secondly, if we don't hold hands, it doesn't feel as united as when we are is understandable because Catholicism is a very "sensual religion" which makes sense because we associate and interact with each other and our environment in and through our senses. However, just because we don't feel united, doesn't mean we aren't united. Just like sometimes we feel like God is far away, but He's really not. Or just like Jesus tastes like bread doesn't mean it is. Our senses gives us signs to point us to deeper truths (ie: the ultimate Truth in the end is God Himself which we can't know with our (earthly?) senses, but mainly our will and intellect, hence so many of the mystics speak of the "dark night of the soul" when they don't feel God).
Here in San Antonio, they made an announcement that was similar to the ones we had when the SARS thing was going on: no hand holding during the Our Father and no shaking hands. Some people listend and some didn't, even though there have been a few cases of swine flu here in San Antonio so that a lot of the schools have shut down until just this week!
For some perspective, does anyone know the number of people who actually die from the NORMAL flu worldwide in a month versus how many from the swine flu so far? Dr. Gabe? :)
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