Let me rant about the church again. Sigh. The following words (bar the dictionary definition) make up a real-time commentary going inside my head and onto my phone. | Greenbelt Chapel, 28 July, 3 pm mass

Homily

n. a sermon or discourse on a moral or religious topic; a commentary that follows the reading of scripture 

It’s not your life story, damn it. Why do we need to know about your career as a missionary in New Zealand? We don’t need to know about your loneliness and the unexpected language barriers. We’d like to hear a sermon relevant to the Gospel and our lives, please.

Where is the homily?

Also, this priest from Batangas who entered the Mission Society of the Philippines (or whatever) is pretty sexist. Slight. Well: he related how lonely it was in NZ, since he didn’t have much appointments. All he did was open and close the doors of the Church. One day he reflected on his life and asked the Lord if loneliness is the essence of missionary life. Yada yada yada… Then he said:

Sana nag-asawa na lang ako, para may taga-bukas at taga-sara ng pinto (I should have just gotten married, so that someone could open and close the door).

First of all, it doesn’t make any sense; if he was married, he definitely wouldn’t be tasked to manage the doors of a Church in New Zealand. And second, jest or not, it’s incredibly insulting to say that a partner’s role is to take over jobs that one doesn’t want to take. Maybe it’s not so much sexist as it is plainly ignorant and self-important. Is that all a wife is good for? Answering calls? Really? 

I’m probably over thinking things, since I am bored as hell. It is hot and crowded here inside the church. 

Aaaand after ten minutes of talking, he finally gets to the Gospel. 

But then, oops, five minutes in and we’re back to the incredibly interesting status of the missionary circles. And now he’s soliciting donations. What. Ah. Apparently he got to this part of the homily segueing from the generosity of the kid who gave loaves of bread and fish to Jesus. Oh god.

“Thank you very much in advance”; as if we’re going to give anything. The end of the homily, yehey!

*Apparently it’s Missionary Sunday, or something…? (I googled it up and I don’t think so.)