Shh!
We know the times and places when we’re supposed to be quiet or to speak softly:
When a baby or sick person is sleeping.
When someone is reading or studying for a test.
When someone in authority is speaking, such as a parent, teacher, or priest.
But when can we loudly express ourselves?
Football games and other sports competitions.
Swimming and playing in the water.
Kids’ birthday parties.
At Mass.
At Mass . . . really?
Yes!
Don’t mumble the Nicene Creed or the Lord’s Prayer. Let the rest of the congregation hear how deeply you believe.
And belt out those hymns. Let the love of God you feel in your chest come forth through your voice. Feel it! Hear it! Can you hear yourself singing among the others surrounding you? If not, maybe you’re not loud enough.
At the particular Mass I attend each weekend, I hear a challenged young lady praying and singing from the rear of the church. It is loud, and it’s the sweetest sound.
I try to match her enthusiasm, and I imagine Jesus smiling.
Cynthia Toney writes for tweens and teens because she wants them to know how wonderful, powerful, and valuable God made them. Her novels employ hope and humor to address some of the serious issues young people encounter. Her books have won several awards, including a Catholic Press Association Book Award and numerous secular literary awards. She is the author of The Other Side of Freedom, a coming-of-age historical novel for boys and girls age ten or older, and the Bird Face contemporary series for girls. She is also a short-story contributor to Secrets: Visible and Invisible and other anthologies by Catholic Teen Books.
Image by Luisella Planeta Love Peace from PIxabay