Be Patient with the ‘Chreasters’ at Christmas Masses

Because of all the ‘Chreasters,’ standing room only and even overflows at Mass regularly happen on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.  A few of my colleagues recently reminded me of this, suggesting that arriving at church early on Christmas day is a good idea.

For those unfamiliar, Chreasters is a slang term to describe non-practicing, in-name-only Catholics who show up for Mass two times a year – on Christmas and Easter.  As I travel, I find this term used most often in the Midwest.  It is not a term of endearment.  It is meant to be deprecating.

Uncharitable thoughts about the Chreasters are not uncommon.  It’s the  result of suddenly seeing strange faces, having to pack into the pews, stand throughout Mass, or watch Mass from an overflow area on one of the most joyous feast days of the year.

This year, however, perhaps we should be more charitable in how we view Chreasters.

What We Can Predict

Yes, Masses will probably be will probably standing room only on Christmas day.  Masses will likely be jam packed.  Traffic will also probably be messy.

People unfamiliar with common routines will go in the wrong direction at the parking lot entrance.  People will also illegally park and block other cars in overtaxed parking lots.

Someone you have never seen before will likely be in your normal pew.  Ushers will ask you to slide in to make room so others can sit, or you may have to stand throughout Mass.

Many will hear Mass in the gather space, church basement, or from another overflow area.  Children will be fussy and babies will cry. It will also get hotter as Mass progresses.

Communion will take much longer than normal even with additional Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Eucharist. Some people will not know how to receive Holy Communion. Some may even try to take the Eucharist with them to their seats.

After Mass, exiting the parking lot will take twice as long. Many will not know the routine. They’ll try to turn left from the exit that is supposed to only be for right hand turns.

All of this will try everyone’s patience.

Are These Really Problems?

Such chaos happens two times a year.  But is it really a problem when it’s so predictable?  Why lose one’s composure over something that one knows will happen?

Would you be willing to patiently deal with this chaos if it were a football game or concert?  Or would you be willing to patiently deal with this chaos if you were going to World Youth Day Mass said by the Pope?

Would you be willing to patiently deal with this chaos if you were going to see Christ?  That is, after all, who you are seeing, even though many of those around you do not understand that fact.

Bad Assumptions

Some of my colleagues admitted to being quick to lose their patience.  One of my friends actually proposed giving out tickets to regular parishioners for Christmas Mass to keep the Chreasters out.  His attitude was that those regularly going to Mass deserve to get comfortable seats, and those who are not practicing should show up regularly first and earn their place at Christmas Mass.

As I reflected on what he said, several parables came to mind.  I immediately thought of Jesus’ words in Mathew 20:16, “the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

We tend to make a lot of assumptions about Chreasters.  And we tend to dwell on the negative ones and overlook the positive ones.

Many travel during the holiday season to visit family.  Could that unfamiliar face be someone visiting from out of town?  Could that ‘alien’ family be making an effort to find a parish in an unfamiliar town as opposed to making excuses to justify missing Mass?

Why Is Church Packed on Christmas?

Still, the question remains, why do non-practicing Catholics only come to Christmas and Easter Mass?   There are certainly many reason, but perhaps they are searching for that which they know is missing in their lives.

Perhaps some fell away from the Faith years ago when their parents got a divorce.  Maybe that stranger is someone finally coming to terms with an abusive priest from this or her youth.

Perhaps secular education turned some into non-believers. They became convinced one cannot believe in both science and Catholicism.  And maybe they are finally figuring out that this is a lie and are now seeking truth.

Or maybe that outsider is someone who has never been to Mass before and is seeking what Catholics have already found.

Mission as Catholics

Our primary mission in this world is to get to heaven and bring as many with us as possible.  Instead of kicking someone back into the secular world, why not reach out to him or her?

Christmas Mass is the ideal time for witnessing our Faith.  Maybe, instead of being rude, wish that unfamiliar face a “Merry Christmas” and invite them back next week.

This is not easy.  It can be quite challenging to reach out to a stranger.  It is even harder when you were the one who got hit in the face with a flying toy thrown by their kid during Eucharistic prayer.

I would argue that those are exactly the situations where one should reach out.  If the parents are not practicing Catholics, why would their children be inclined to be attentive at mass?  Why not be the catalyst for someone’s journey back to the Faith?