It was a non-issue.
How many times the father looks at Mathews direction. Mathew never gave a damn to it. But today, it was different. That, Mathew was in a mood to attend a good
Mass but reached late. That does not
matter on the usual style. But today,
the priest has changed, and the new priest was said to be a stickler. He has just been told that the priest insists
upon every body to have their mass book and be responding from it during the
holy mass. Mathew did not have the book
and as a custom, never looked at any religious books. Now, there are mass books kept at the centre
book stand, but to walk up there to the centre of the church hall, made Mathew
squirm. No, that is not possible. In the
glaring view of all, one side all the male gender and on the other the
women. Mathew knew that the men folk
will rarely care for who is going where even if you walk on their toes, but it
is the women he was afraid of. Some of
the women may look at him and he may not be able to look back at them. So there would be no knowing who were looking
or ogling and then the rumour will spread that Mathew Bhai never comes with his
mass book. That is something Mathew would like to avoid.
So he stood where he stood without moving and slightly with
a slanting head ogled at the priest who was elderly and in grey hair. To his utter surprise, the priest was still
looking in his direction. This is
absurd, Mathew thought. A new priest,
only two days into the church, looks so intently at a parishner for not
carrying a reading from a book? He
started looking down now. Then a new
idea struck him. The Verger John is his
friend. He is near the altar smoking up
the frank incense. Once he gives the
frank incense smoke vessel to the alter boy, he will go out to do other errands. Now he can go out to meet John and enquire of
him why the priest is looking at him.
Soon enough, John walked out and Mathew followed him through another
door and met him at the outside step of the church.
“Oh Mathew, what is the matter? Coming out before the mass
is over?”
Mathew answered “No, no, not that. I just wanted to know why the new priest is
looking straight at me. Is it because, I don’t have the mass book?”
John :“Is he? You are the first person bringing up
something like this. He is a stickler for people having the mass book,
alright. But not heard of looking at
anybody personally. If you want I shall
check for you” and he walked away busily
inside the church.
Mathew made a couple of guffawing sounds as if he was
clearing his throat in the morning fog, and slowly walked back to his
place. Now the father was looking at the
other direction. Mathew was
relieved. Once in a while Mathew ogled
at the priest as he was sceptical of the new priest. And Lo!
After a few minutes just before a long stretch of prayer, there is the
new priest looking in his direction again!
He was really astounded now. He stopped looking at the priest now. He joined his hands in prayer and closed his
eyes, but mentally he was seeing the priest.
He thought about the last priest in place of the new one. He was also an elderly priest, who spoke in
very low voice that even the mike had to struggle to pick up his voice. Even then it was difficult for the parishners
to decipher it. But he never looked at
the individuals during the mass. He saw
all but never saw any, that was his attitude.
His prayers and method of offering the mass was crisp and with
precision. He never added anything to
the long prayers, rather at times omitted some of the lengthy areas to the
relief of the many. Now the new priest
seemed to be exactly the opposite to this.
He did not add anything, but would keep all the prayers in the book and
recite them to the full and in good strong voice. Added to this was his looking in Mathew’s direction.
The mass went on and Mathew prayed on and at last the mass
came to an end. Mathew hurriedly came
out of the hall to catch hold of the Verger John, who would be now proceeding
to the cemetery for the arrangements for the prayers for the departed. He was coming out of the church with the
usual holy water and the fathers vestments for the prayers in the
cemetery. Mathew walked up to John who
was walking with long strides. “Hai, John, anything”
John was startled, as he thought it was the Priest calling
him from behind. Once he saw Mathew his
anxiety gave way to a smile. He said
smilingly : “Oh Mathew…You were worrying unnecessarily. The new priest is a holy man. He has difficulty in seeing the words in the
Holy Qrbana Book. The Thaxa, the Holy Mass
Book Holder is kept in your direction.
When he looks insistently into the book, you feel that he is looking at
you” “Go..go..happy and have your morning break fast at ease”
“Oh…” That was a sigh of relief which came out of Mathew
after such a mental struggle all through the mass. Now he happily walked home for a good break
fast..!
