Melodie Yu - Church Visit #2

Church name: Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church
Church address: 36 N Ellsworth St, Naperville, IL 60540
Date attended: 25 October 2015
Church category: Latin Mass

Describe the worship service you attended. How as it similar to or different from your regular context?
Because I have been to a Tridentine Mass before, it was not that uncomfortable. There was also a booklet that had both the Latin and English words, along with when to cross yourself and when to kneel. The church itself was relatively large and incredibly beautiful. There were multiple images of Christ being crucified, sculptures of saints, etc. It was pretty different from my context. Although there was a small sermon, there was also incense, preparation of the Eucharist, lots of kneeling, and crossing.  In my regular context, there is no incense and preparation for taking communion is usually a simple prayer and some singing. As I looked out to the congregation, there was a wide mix of people. Some were dressed up, some were not, some wore head coverings some did not, and some seemed to know when to kneel and cross while others were like me and just followed.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?
The Latin mass forced me to think a bit more of the church's history between the east and the west. Reciting the Nicene Creed in Latin, compared to when we recited it in the Orthodox church, was interesting in thinking about the filioque clause and was clash it caused between the east and west. It led me into thinking how the church's split from the past still affects the Eastern and Western churches today. It shows how we let the past define us and it makes me wonder how global Christianity can be more unified today. My big question that I came out with was, "Can problems and difficulties from the past be settled today?"

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?
The worship service mainly made me think of how much reverence there is by simply crossing yourself. For my personal identity as a Christian, it made me think of how little reverence we show to God by using our bodies (i.e. kneeling or crossing). It showed me that even though I may not understand much of what is being said, there is power in the words being spoken. The words itself may not move me emotionally but with the help of the images, the beauty of the dome, and precision with the procession, there is a strong feeling and thought towards God's greatness. It also made me think of how the words spoken have been spoken for years and how that unites the body of Christ even those from the past.