OK, so I feel the need to mention how incredibly beautiful mass is in Italian. I mean, the language is gorgeous unto itself, but to hear the spiritual verses in it absolutely blew my mind. True, I could barely follow what was being said, but in all honesty, it didn't matter. Hearing it in a different language decreased the emphasis on the actual words and allowed me to experience mass for what it truly should be, a connection to God.
I attended Ash Wednesday Mass last week and was welcomed into the church with open arms. The Priest came up to me and welcomed me personally. He spoke no English and upon realizing that I spoke no Italian called over a translator who warmly explained that he just wanted to say hello, to welcome us to his church, and to say that he was glad we were there and he hoped we enjoyed our experience. It was wonderful.
Once mass began, we all gathered at the head of the church for a blessing. The Priest welcomed us again in front of the congregation and suddenly someone yelled something frantically in Italian. We all followed his gaze and discovered that one of the men had backed up into a candle and was on fire. Things were hectic for a moment, but as soon as the flames were doused, the mass continued as if nothing had ever happened. I was amazed.
I followed the processional up to the alter and took in the gorgeous architecture and paintings that filled the room. As I sat there listening to the man in vestments passionately convey the word of God, I felt closer to God than I have ever felt. Suddenly the words were meaningless and in that moment all that mattered was the sense of community and home that I felt. It was incredible! As we left the church, the Priest stopped us and commented on Obama and his policies. Its amazing how far away from home you can be and yet feel like you never left your house.
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