Let’s not quibble over the time of Mass

I was dismayed when I read the recent article by Timothy Cardinal Dolan about the Mass, “Are Sunday Masses just too long?”

I respect Cardinal Dolan. I have heard him talk on more than one occasion, and I find him to be an engaging speaker. I know a number of priests for whom he was their seminary rector, and they all speak highly of him. I mean no disrespect to him, but I could not disagree with him more.

First, I am a cradle Catholic and have been a priest for 27 years. My own experience is that Mass lasts about an hour, give or take 10 minutes. Yes, there are occasions when Mass goes a little long, for instance when there is a baptism or catechumenate ritual, but I as far as I can say, an hour is the more usual time frame for Mass. Perhaps Cardinal Dolan’s experience is different, and an hour and a half is more usual.

So, what if it is? Is it really too much to ask for Catholics to spend an hour and a half at Church on Sunday? It is the Lord’s Day, the whole day, and spending less than a twelfth of the time in worship is not asking a whole lot. Out of the 168 hours in a week, is one and a half hours too long? After all, those same people who are complaining about the length of Mass will spend an hour and a half tailgating, followed by a three-hour football game, and think nothing of it. And how long does a round of golf take? To borrow a phrase from the Gospel, there is something more important than football or golf here.

In this Year of Eucharistic Revival, should we be advocating shorter Masses? Should we be concerned about time at all? I was taught the difference between Kronos and Kairos. The former is the flow on normal time, second by second and hour by hour. The latter is sacred time; an experience of God’s eternity entering into our lives. Mass is Kairos time.

If we truly believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith lives, than we should not be quibbling over time. Rather, we need to make sure that the time we spend in the Lord’s presence, listening to his word, participating in a mystical way in his life saving death and resurrection, and receiving his very presence in holy Communion is quality time. Time well spent.

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