When I Agree with a Troll Over More Mass Times: Reflection for 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Over the last few years, I have been active in a Facebook group that is related to my hometown community. I first joined them in 2015 ahead of the papal visit to keep the group informed and also to be in the know of what was happening.

The group has been actively sharing events and news related to my area. I do intend to take credit as I have been an active participant. Come to think of it, I met my wife through the platform, though she declined to connect with me at first. Sometimes there can be heated discussions if one were to share information about pro-life vigils.

Recently, I have been receiving notifications from a group member named Kevin (this is to protect his identity for the sake of charity). I thought he was going to commend me for keeping the group informed of an upcoming event that would be appealing to many in the area. The surprising part is that he was persistent in his messaging. The comments he made were the same.

I took it upon myself to acknowledge his call to offer more Masses for medical professionals and even first responders.  At first, I wanted to shut him down and take it elsewhere. Then, I thought about his message.

It dawned on me that he was persistent in his attempt to get the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, especially the archbishop, to hear his message.

Mass times have been reduced due to low Mass attendance. Perhaps this man, who was thought of as a troll, was on to something. My only hope after reflecting on this is that someone who take heed of his plea to help those who need to attend Mass at a more convenient time.

My only hope is that his voice gets heard by our shepherd. I feel he is helping a group of workers who are being marginalized from fulfilling their Mass obligation.

St. Paul reminds us in his letter to St. Timothy, “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.”