Sushi and the Traditional Catholic Mass

By now, most Americans are familiar with sushi. Whether they eat it often, seldom, or never; it's no longer some strange foreign exotic food. Today, about one hundred establishments sell sushi within a twenty minute drive from my house, compared with three in 1987. One can now find it at Japanese restaurants, various buffets and fusion restaurants, grocery stores, nightclubs, school cafeterias, theaters, and more.

In 2003, I was privileged to enter the world of sushi as a chef in training. My sensei (teacher) was a Japanese Itamae (sushi chef) with more than forty years of traditional experience at the time. Throughout the course of eleven years, he trained me to appreciate the skills of the art. More important, he taught me the value of tradition, which I now find both useful and relevant to my Catholic Faith.

When I think of traditional Catholicism, I am drawn to the Liturgy Pope Benedict XVI called the Church’s “Holiest and highest possession”[i] – the traditional Tridentine Latin Mass (TLM). If you are fortunate to find one, you will experience a much different liturgy than what ninety plus percent of Catholic churches offer. If you have an appreciation for traditional sushi, there’s a good chance you will appreciate the TLM. Many people are unaware of the treasures and traditions found within the world of traditional sushi and the TLM. There are too many to cover in this article, but here are the top few that come to mind.

Preparation

The Japanese place great value in what goes on before the final product. It is the quintessential aspect of great sushi. Most of it is never seen by customers, yet chefs spend more time preparing than they do making sushi in front of customers. In his attempt to teach me the importance of preparation, my sensei once told me about Japan’s Wagyu beef (aka Kobe beef), which can sell for up to $500 a pound. That’s right, $500 for every pound of meat.

The reason it's so expensive is simply because of how it's prepared. The preparation begins well before the cattle are slaughtered. Compared with normal cattle, Wagyu cattle are raised in very comfortable settings that include daily massages, beer, and the highest quality of natural food. In the end, their perfectly marbled meat provides not only the tastiest steaks, but also the healthiest.

Preparation wise, the TLM is the Wagyu of the Catholic liturgy. When people go to it, the first things they see are the preparations by the altar server. Other preparations are also taking place while he is lighting the candles, setting the prayer cards, and making sure everything is properly placed. Like the unseen preparations of Wagyu beef and sushi chefs, the most important preparations done by the priest are also not seen. These include his familiarization with the Mass propers of the day, a silent moment of prayer to collect himself, and vesting.

The vesting process alone speaks volumes of the importance of preparation. As the priest dresses himself, he recites certain prayers for every piece of vestment. For example: As he puts on the Amice, he says “Impone, Domine, capiti meo galeam salutis, ad expugnandos diabolicos incursus” (Lord, set the helmet of salvation on my head to fend off all the assaults of the devil); the Cincture -“Praecinge me, Domine, cingulo puritatis, et exstingue in lumbis meis humorem libidinis; ut maneat in me virtus continentia et castitatis” (Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of purity, and quench in my heart the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may abide in me).

These preparations affect the priest’s ability to perform the rubrics, gestures, and words of the Mass. If properly done, the actual graces available through Mass have a better chance of becoming more bountiful and efficacious for all attending it. In short, the priest’s preparations are reflected in the quality and spiritual nourishment of the Mass.

The TLM also provides the ideal setting for people to prepare themselves before and during Mass. In the TLM, people walk into a reverent atmosphere absent of distracting noises, conversations and activities. This allows them time to prepare and better unite with the most Holy “Sacrifice” of the Mass. The reverent surrounding continues throughout the entire Mass, allowing them to pray with the priest the holy words said by him in the Name of Christ and which Christ says by him.[ii] When it comes time to receive His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity; the faithful are able to kneel at the communion rail and spend a few more moments preparing themselves for that moment He is placed on their tongues. Much more can be learned about how we can better prepare ourselves for Mass in Romano Guardini’s book, “Meditations before Mass”[iii]

Cleanliness

The Japanese are notoriously known for their cleanliness. For them, cleanliness is next to Godliness. I learned this to be especially true when it comes to making sushi. Clean hands, working space, utensils, and technique are of utmost importance. This is often not the case with many non-traditional sushi establishments, and that is why states like California have laws requiring sushi chefs to wear gloves. A properly trained sushi chef, however, doesn’t need to wear gloves if properly trained. Take my sensei for example, each time he received an order for sushi, he performed the same precise cleansing rituals:

“Order Onegaishimasu,” the waitress would say as she places the order in front of him; “Hai,” he responds. He then turns to wash his hands and hand towel under the cold running water by his side; rings out the towel; wipes his cutting board with the hand towel; prepares sushi (while always aware of what his fingers touch); respectfully serves the finished dish to the customer; wipes down cutting board again; washes hand towel and hands; wipes clean his yanagiba knife blade; returns it to original place and position on the board, washes towel and hands and awaits for the next order. As important as this is in the art of making sushi, it goes unnoticed by many. Yet, a good Itamae knows it is more important than how his finished dish looks in appearance.

In the TLM, the priest elevates cleanliness to the level of spiritual purification. After all, he isn’t handling food per say, but instead; the real (not symbolic) Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ Himself. For him, purification starts just before he puts on his vestments in the sacristy by washing his hands. As he washes he recites the prayer “Da, Domine, virtutem manibus meis ad abstergendum omnem maculam ut sine pollutione mentis et corporis valeam tibi servire” (Give strength to my hands, Lord, to wipe away all stain, so that I may be able to serve Thee in purity of mind and body). In a High Mass, purification later takes on another form when incense is used to purify the altar.

Before touching the Host during consecration, the priest lightly wipes the tips of both thumbs and forefingers on the corporal cloth before picking up the Host. From the moment after touching the Host, both forefingers and thumbs remain touching and are never separated (except when picking up the host) until after the distribution of Communion is completed. He is allowed to separate them only at the time of the Ablutions when his forefingers and thumbs are purified with wine and water. After the consecration of the Host, the priest washes his hands again while reciting Psalm 25:6-12 in Latin[iv].

So much care and emphasis is placed on touching Christ’s Body that it’s no wonder many Saints, Church Fathers, and Popes have reminded us that the consecrated Body of Christ should only be handled by the consecrated hands of the priest.[v] Even St. Pope John Paul II said, “To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained.”[vi]

Purification also extends to the faithful attending Mass by providing ample opportunities for the cleansing of personal sins. Any baptized Catholic desiring to receive Christ in the Eucharist must be in the state of grace.[vii] Since the Sacrament of Penance is normally available before or after each TLM, the faithful have the opportunity to be cleansed of their mortal sins.

As for venial sins, the TLM provides the ideal setting to remove these as well. Of course, communion with the Body and Blood of Christ forgives our venial sins,[viii] but many are unaware of other traditional treasures embodied within the TLM. One such practice is the tunsio pectoris, which is the repentant beating of the chest that the faithful do twelve to fifteen times during Mass.[ix] St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that this and other practices conduce the remission of venial sins.[x]

Physical Presence

When people enter a traditional Japanese sushi bar or restaurant, the Itamae welcome them by loudly saying, “Irrasshaimase” (welcome). Greeting customers this way encouraged me to do my best in preparing their meal because I established a host/guest relationship with them. When I’m at the receiving end of it, I feel a personal connection with the chef. It not only makes me feel welcome, but it adds to the experience of eating there. The Itamae is the key focal point of a great dining experience. When his presence is obscured or absent, restaurant décor, music, novelties, and gimmicks become the focal point. Maybe this is why so many non-traditional sushi restaurants don’t last thirty or more years like my favorite traditional sushi bars.

In the TLM, one is greeted immediately by the sight of Christ’s presence in the tabernacle. The tabernacle is always clearly visible and centered behind the high altar. It is never obscured, hidden, or banished to a separate room. The adjoining red lit candle and crucifix displaying Him nailed to the cross are also clear reminders of His presence. The communion rails separating the nave from the sanctuary and high altar also help remind us of His real presence in the Holy of Holies. On top of that, the priest illuminates Christ’s presence by facing Him throughout most of the Mass. Not only does he face Him, but every time he momentarily turns around to face and greet the people, he kisses the altar before turning his back on Christ.

Either Christ is truly physically present or He’s not. Either it’s symbolic or real, true or false, white or black. There is no grey area, but for many Catholics, there’s plenty of grey. It’s no wonder why church attendance is so low. Of those who attend Mass a few times a year or less, 60% of them do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.[xi] This is arguably the key reason for the drop of attendance. If they knew He is really present, they would go to Mass frequently. Ultimately, the diminishing of Christ’s physical presence contributes to the silent apostasy Pope John Paul II spoke of.

Omakase

There is a traditional Japanese way of dining called Omakase. In Japanese, the word essentially means “I’ll leave it up to you.” This is when customers sit at the sushi bar and leave everything up to the Itamae. He decides what, how, and when to serve his customers. He’s the pilot and they’re his passengers. His so-called passengers enter into a mystery when they sit at his bar. What will he serve? How will it be presented? How will it taste? Where did the fish come from? These are what typically go through the minds of his passengers. If you haven’t seen the movie, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” I recommend doing so. In it, the master Itamae, Jiro, and other Itamae do a wonderful job displaying this highly prized way of dining.

I used to go to Mass based on what I call an unconscious menu. My menu was comprised of the ten churches of my liking. Each had their own “style” of liturgy, personalities of priests, architectural beauty (or lack of), and behaviors of congregants (hand-holding, clapping, reverent, etc.). “Am I in the mood for a fire and brimstone sermon?” I would ask myself. “What type of music do I want to hear? Do I want to tap into the nostalgia from a certain period of my life? Which will be shortest? Which is closest? Do I want to deal with everyone holding hands during the Our Father?” And so on. With such a diverse menu, it was easy to bring the Mass to my own comfort zone.

When I discovered the TLM and “prayed” the Mass for the first time in my entire life (yes, there’s a big difference between praying it and worshipping in it), I threw out my menu. I now go to Mass for one reason: To pray it while participating in the un-bloody re-presentation of Christ’s “sacrifice” for us on Calvary. Pope Benedict XVI summed up my “omakase-like” approach to the Mass when he talked about worshipping God in our own way by saying:

“[Liturgy] cannot spring from imagination, our own creativity – then it would remain just a cry in the dark or mere self affirmation. . . The people cannot cope with the invisible, remote, and mysterious God. They want to bring him down into their own world, into what they can see and understand. Worship is no longer going up to God, but drawing God down into one’s own world. He must be there when he is needed, and he must be the kind of God that is needed. Man is using God, and in reality, even if it is not outwardly discernible, he is placing himself above God.”[xii]

Think about this next time thoughts come to mind about why you like going to the Mass of your preference. Both the Catholic Catechism and Bible affirm that the Mass is the un-bloody re-presentation of Christ’s “sacrifice.[xiii]” When our personal preferences, liturgical ambiguity and innovations, lead us away from the sacrifice of the Mass, it’s time to return to the sacrifice of Christ. Fortunately for us today, the TLM still exists to provide the unmistakable sacrifice of the Mass.

Sushi Elitism

Every so often, customers sat in front of me at the sushi bar boasting their knowledge of sushi to their companions. Having no idea I’m not Japanese, they usually brought up the differences between traditional Japanese chefs and all the “others” out there. I wasn’t bothered by my mistaken ethnicity, but I dreaded what usually followed. For whatever reason, they seemed to always end up making pompous remarks like “I wouldn’t be caught dead eating there [non-traditional establishments].”

For the most part, these were nice people with good etiquette and knowledge of sushi. They didn’t rub their chopsticks together, mix wasabi in their soy dish, bathe their sushi in soy sauce, and many other innovations that make many traditional Itamae wonder. While I admire their appreciation and awareness of traditionalism, I often had to bite my tongue when these sushi elitists attacked restaurants just because their chefs weren’t traditional Japanese Itamae.

As much as I yearn for great traditional sushi, I still eat at non-traditional places. Usually it’s because of convenience, but nonetheless, I’ve been to some of those places past customers wouldn’t be caught dead at. I don’t just go to any place, mind you. I’m still very selective regarding the cleanliness of the chefs and freshness of the fish. I always try avoiding the nightmare realities of getting sick because of sushi done wrong. Nevertheless, properly prepared sushi is still edible sushi, regardless of one’s personal taste.

Elitism also exists in the Catholic realms. Since discovering the TLM, I’ve discovered far too many Catholics attacking each other over the liturgy. Supporters of the TLM attack those in support of the present Mass (the Novus Ordo), and vice versa. Don’t get me wrong; I love the TLM. Out of curiosity, I looked at the last 125 Masses I prayed, and discovered that only 8 were Novus Ordo (3 done in Latin and ad orientem). As you can see, I like my Masses like my sushi, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go to a Novus Ordo Mass. Do I cringe at all the abuses the Novus Ordo seems to constantly encourage? Absolutely, but I also cringe when a TLM is done in less than eighteen minutes, which is also an abuse. In the end, when properly done by the rubrics, BOTH are valid and needs to be considered as part of the rich tradition of our Catholic Faith.

[i] Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millennium, Ignatius Press, ISBN-10: 0898706408

[ii] As instructed by His Holiness, Pope St. Pius X, Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962, Angelus Press pg. 835

[iii] Meditations before Mass by Romano Guardini, Sophia Institute Press, ISBN-10: 1622821661

[iv] More about Lavabo (the ritual of the washing of the hands)

[v] Eucharist and Consecrated Hands quotations by Saints and Popes

[vi] Dominicae Cenae, 11

[vii] CCC paragraph 1415

[viii] CCCparagraph 1416

[ix] 3x at the “mea culpa” of the servers’ Confiteor; 3x at the Agnus Dei; 3x at the second Confiteor; 3x at the Domine, non sum dignus; 3x at the Salve Regina (O clemens, O dulcis, O pia).

[x] Summa Theologiae IIIª q. 87 a. 3 co.

[xi] Georgetown University Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate: Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among U.S. Catholics Study, pg. 54

[xii] The Spirit of the Liturgy, Ignatius Press; ISBN-13: 978-0898707847

[xiii] Catholic Catechism and Bible citations of the Mass/Eucharist as a sacrifice