- How can Rock Concerts and the Catholic Mass be even remotely similar? As it turns out, they are more similar than most people would think!
The Roman Catholic Mass and modern rock concerts: two activities that society has accepted to be almost entirely dissimilar. For instance, when one thinks about the type of people who regularly attend Mass and the type who regularly attend rock concerts, two very distinguishable stereotypes tend to exist. Consistent church-goers are often seen as being very pious, tranquil people with conservative values. They prioritize moral behavior and live restricted lifestyles that align with their religious beliefs. People who regularly attend rock concerts are often perceived as being virtually the opposite. Rock concert enthusiasts are often labeled as being wild, reckless individuals who are likely to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol. As somebody who attends both Mass and rock concerts on a regular basis, I can confirm that I have, at times, witnessed people validating both of these stereotypes. However, I have also noticed these two events hold more in common than most people tend to believe. Contrary to the widely held perceptions of these events, the Roman Catholic Mass and modern rock concerts share various similarities in their fundamental practices, particularly regarding the fact that both events involve sermons, symbolic gestures, and the physicality of body and blood.
- SERMONS
Roman Catholic Masses almost always involve a sermon given by the presiding priest, which is known as the Homily. During the Homily, the priest will address the Gospel reading that had just been previously read, often reinterpreting the passage for its context. Next, he will try to give the reading modern relevance, often calling the congregation to action in regards to a prevalent issue in today’s society. The priest will commonly explain the importance of spreading the Good News, never succumbing to the temptations of the secular world, and following in the footsteps of our Savior at all costs.
Modern rock concerts are similar to the Roman Catholic Mass in that they also involve sermons. Typically, the lead singers of the bands will improvise various mini-sermons during their sets. For instance, I went to the Vans Warped Tour this summer, which is a music festival for punk/grunge rock bands. I saw thirteen bands play that day, and I could not remember a single band whose lead singer did not interrupt the set to give a sermon to the audience. Traditionally, the singer will first let everyone know how much it means to him or her that everybody came out to support their music. Next, they will begin giving a testimony of all the hardships they have dealt with and how music has allowed them to prevail. Then, they usually always make a point to “subtly” mention their political views. Finally, the singer will call their audience to partake in specific action, varying from buying their latest album to promoting awareness for some cause such as animal abuse or human-trafficking.
- SYMBOLIC GESTURES
The Roman Catholic Mass also entails various symbolic gestures. For instance, we make hand gestures such as the sign of the cross before we enter into prayer, we trace crosses over our forehead, lips, and hearts with our right thumb upon hearing the Gospel reading, and raise our hands for the Lord’s Prayer. The purpose of these hand gestures is to respect the Lord’s great sacrifice, adding further meaning to our worship as a community. The sprinkling of water is also a common gesture of the priest during Mass. He may walk around with a brush and a basin of holy water, and sprinkle it on the congregation to bless them. Though not all parishes practice the gesture of sprinkling holy water every Mass, almost all parishes partake in this during the Christmas Mass, Easter Vigil, or the feast that celebrates the Baptism of Jesus.
Along with the sermons, certain gestures are also common during rock concerts. By the end of the concert, most of the audience will have likely expressed symbolic hand gestures that often represent how they are feeling. For example, people at concerts may raise one or both of their hands to suggest that they are emotionally moved by the music. Or one may give the “rock on” hand gesture with their thumb, index, and pinky finger to suggest that the music is rousing excitement and pleasure within them. Perhaps some fans may even display the gesture of “the middle finger” to suggest that the music is making them feel wild and rebellious. The gesture of sprinkling water usually makes its appearance as well, as the band members tend to spit their drinking water on the audience to enliven the ultra-dedicated fans.
- THE PHYSICALITY OF BODY AND BLOOD
The most important part of the Roman Catholic Mass is the presence of physical contact between the body of blood of Christ and the parishioners at the service during the celebration of the Eucharist. A very sacred moment happens during the Eucharistic Prayer called transubstantiation: the priest consecrates bread and wine, which Catholics believe to be the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation makes physical contact with the body and blood after the consecration as they consume it.
Lastly, the physical contact with body and blood are commonly present entities at rock concerts. Often, the lead singer will “crowd –surf,” or jump out into the audience while they pass him or her around. This is where the body-on-body contact occurs. Blood will also make an appearance if the rock concert becomes particularly wild. People may begin to “mosh;” in other words, people run around in circles while forcefully knocking into one another, often resulting in injury and the dispersion of blood.
- CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Although much of society has adopted the belief that the Roman Catholic Mass and modern rock concerts are entirely different entities, they actually share various similarities in their fundamental practices, particularly regarding the fact that both events involve sermons, symbolic gestures, and the physicality of body and blood. Often, people find difficulty with discovering the blatant similarities between the two because they have not fully experienced both events in their fullness and entirety, resulting in various stereotypes and misconceptions. At least in my case, I have found it very rare to come across somebody who both actively attends the Catholic Mass and avidly enjoys modern rock concerts. All of my Catholic friends are confused that I attend rock concerts because I do not seem like “the type” to listen to such aggressive music. Likewise, the friends who share my taste in music are equally as confused, since again, I do not seem like “the type” to be a good, practicing Catholic. Little do they know that I am neither a drug user nor strictly conservative in my religious beliefs and practices. Perhaps if my inflexibly Catholic friends and my fanatic rock music-loving friends took a risk and stepped into each other’s territories for a day, they would acquire a greater appreciation for the new environment upon learning that its setting is not so different than their own.