Empty Seats
- ksmarekk
- Dec 3, 2020
- 2 min read
After all the chaos of the last ten months it is time to look at something different. It is different because there is nothing we can do about it. When I was looking at how to organize Holy Masses for Christmas something came to my mind.
Some seats will not be filled ever again. There will be empty chairs left just to remind us of that time when someone was taken from our community, from our family, from our parish. We will not see them anymore. Slowly we will forget their voices. And then will come the worst. We fill forget their faces.
I remember my parents looking at albums with the old black and white pictures. I had no idea who those people were in them but my parents had memories of them. They remembered the time when they enjoyed life together.
The same will happen to us. One day we will look at the pictures of people that only we know. We will recall laughter and joy from the past. Our memory will bring victory and failure from the past. It will go until one day one more seat will be empty, our seat. All our worries, anger and joy, frustrations and happiness will be over. Somebody will cut our credit card in half, will close the bank account, will give our clothes to Goodwill.
Sometimes I think this entire COVID situation happened to help us to see what really matters in our life. We will elect a new president in a few years again, another group will fight for rights, somebody will make a career, somebody will lose a job. But all of those things can be changed, improved.
Unfortunately, we cannot get back time that we missed, we cannot get back people that left this world. If today you would have to put a table with chairs for all your loved ones, how many empty seats would be there? So, do not waste your time on things that do not matter. Do not waste your time on chasing surreal dreams to satisfy yourself. Use the time you have to be there for those who are around you because one day only empty chairs will be left.
Oh how the Holidays make us all sit up and listen.
It is up to each of us to keep the memories of loved ones who have left this life alive. You can ask my sons about my sister who passed in 1982 and they will tell you everything about her, although they were both born well after her body died. I don't remember ever meeting my great grandmothers but because of my mother their memories always live on.
For my Father's funeral service last year I read "Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These…
lpenland2020,
I think many folks are able to attend Mass on weekdays, if they can't on Sunday. I know we attend on weekdays when we can and then watch a livestream Mass on Sunday, and it is something we can do.
I do think many people aren't able to go to Mass at all right now because they are at high risk and indoor spaces where folks might not be using precautions are something they avoid. I've noticed the cathedral in the Springs does an exceptional job of taking good care. There is also a lot of space there and good ventilation. I strongly recommend anyone who is staying away from Mass right now out of caution should tr…
I loved your post on Empty Seats, we remember the past wonderful years with family and friends and going forward we make new memories with friends and family. I sincerely hope
that we embrace our life and know that Jesus Christ makes everything possible. When I was
a child I remember my mother saying Christmas is about Jesus and he makes it
possible for us to receive our gifts. Thank you father.
Aolivia – Beautifully stated! Even if the person is gone, the relationship is still there; our loved ones are always with us.
We also know many empty seats at mass are due to the restrictions on the allowable attendance number being placed on churches. When we are kept from attending mass, we are robbed of our spiritual food and weapons for fighting against evil. I hope all the restrictions are lifted soon and the people return in greater numbers than ever before.
Nostalgia sometimes kicks in during this time. I believe they are not completely gone, Father. We are linked to our departed with a stronger bond than any other bond we know because it is love that keeps us together. Love goes beyond barriers. It is a pure love we share with them because we don't look for them with any other motive but to love them. When we remember others, we are bringing them willingly to our memories because they are important to us, so is one of the best gifts we can give to anyone. We are bringing them to our present moment. No wonder why our Lord asked us to "do this in memory of Me."