Out of the Woodworks

Why is it that so many people go to Ash Wednesday Mass? Do they know it's not a holy day of obligation? Now I have to think of a name for this group of people. People who only attend on Christmas and Easter are easy enough, they are called Creasters. You know, the ones who make it impossible to find a seat on the big days. I really think there should be priority seating for the regulars. Adding Ash Wednesday to the mix would just be really hard to abbreviate and come up with a new title.

Crashters? I'm working on it.

But seriously, why are there so many people attending our humble little noon mass on campus that I have never seen before? Sure, we might capture the older crowd, like professors and other adults who have their own parishes, and mass on campus was just the most feasible time. We might also get a few of the commuter students who go to mass at home with their family. But this can hardly be a sum total for all the other random students who can never seem to drag their behinds to the 8pm and 10pm student masses on Sunday. That's right folks, PM.

The only reason I can think for such high attendance rates is the visible sign of ashes. It's a noticeable and telling sign of what day it is. I guess we don't get any outwardly visible signs on any given Sunday. Palms are always exciting. They give you a little project to do when the homily stops holding your attention, and they look so pretty all folded up in the shape of the cross.

But I think I have a solution. We can make every Sunday mass noticeable, and attractive to the creasters.

Wait for it

Drum roll

.....

Get dressed up! Look presentable! Ladies, it's just as easy to slip on a dress (easier in fact, because it's only one item) than it is to put on jeans. Gents, would a shirt and tie be too much to ask? If so, I could settle for some khakis.

If you were going to meet the president, or the queen of England, would you wear a sloppy outfit? I certainly hope not. What if you were going to meet God? Think about it. And go comb your hair, wash behind the ears, and leave early for mass, because with all the fresh faces and classy outfits, it might be hard to find a seat!