Utter and ordered chaos

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Today the parish (and many others around the Archdiocese of Chicago) are celebrating the young people receiving the Holy Eucharist for the first time sacramentally.  It's a wonderful celebration and we really do have a lot to be grateful for as we give thanks.  The children are always super-cute, and most remember their lines.  It IS utter chaos before and after Mass every year.  People always chattering and the volume level in church goes up.  Today,the pastor rang our bell once trying to get the attention of those present so we could start the children's procession.  It didn't work.  So another priest eventually went to the bell and really rang it hard three times, that was only a beginning to calm, but it still took another 3 minutes to have everyone paying attention.  Yet, it is ORDERED chaos too.  There are lots of people, many who have not ever been to Mass and others who have not been to Mass in a long time.  I know we all try hard to think of everything, but there are always one or two hiccups in the Mass too, no matter how much we prepare.

Congratulations to the children -- God's cherished!  Their sacramental life is pressing forward!

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