Mass Wanna-Be

As I had planned, I did indeed go to Mass at the local church yesterday morning. Unfortunately, I was informed upon my arrival that Father was unable to come, so "we'll just be having a nice little Communion service instead." The presider was a 50-something woman who insisted on doing it, even though several men - who said that they had done it before, whereas she apparently hadn't - offered to preside. So, we sang a hymn (which could easily have been concocted here), the OT, Psalm, and NT reading were read by a (female) lector, and then our presider read the Gospel, and proceeded to give what was not merely a reflection, as it should have been, but a homily. I'm not entirely sure what she was talking about - it was like listening to John Kerry talk: a lot of words that sounded good on the surface, but when examined more closely meant nothing at all - but she was clearly trying to teach; it was something about the various circumstances in which it is acceptable to put other things before God. After receiving Communion, no one knelt, which just screamed inappropriatness to me, so I did, and got funny looks. Anyway, the whole thing was over within 20 minutes, and I left right away, before anyone could ask me what I thought. So, my first attempt was rather disappointing, but I'll be back there on Monday to try again.