Have you noticed that we are all creatures of habit? Most of us that come to Mass each week tend to sit in the same pew or even the same seat, if it is free. Sometimes, we will occupy the same seat for years, for no other reason but it feels right for us. As the following little story will illustrate, moving seats in church can be very bad for your health.

“She’s a very nice person ... a good friend of mine in fact, but she’s sitting in my seat. It’s no big deal; I can always sit somewhere else can’t I? My seat is on the right facing the sanctuary; it’s an end seat, so I can rest my arm on the end of the pew for comfort. Yes, it’s a good seat, but I wouldn’t raise a fuss just about a seat and I never hold grudges. Actually, it was more than three months ago that she took it, without so much as a by your leave and I don’t know why! I’ve never done anything to her; I’ve never taken her seat, so why should she take mine?”

“I suppose I’ll have to come to Mass an hour early from now on, just to get my seat back. I’ve been thinking, she only took it because it is one of the best seats in church, but she has no business taking it... why should I have to come to Mass two hours early, just to get what is rightfully mine!”

“Do you know, this is the way all social injustice begins, with abusive people taking other peoples seats? It’s the way the seeds of revolution have been sown for centuries in countries throughout the world. A person can only stand so much, where’s it all going to end? Soon, nobody’s seat will be safe and people will think they can sit anywhere they like in church.

They’ll be taking my parking space next, then the whole of world order will be in chaos.. Will these people never learn any respect ... when will it end?”

“There are consequences to all our actions as we go about life’s journey. If we think beautiful thoughts and act without malice, then we will be rewarded in hidden moments.”