Holy Bat Mass!

Everything started on Feb. 1st at Saturday Mass. A little boy was sitting in front of me fidgeting and causing his mother grief. He said quietly, "I see a bird up there!" He was looking at the ceiling near the peak. His mother said, "Shush...(like Moms do in Church) you don't see a bird." The little boy squirmed and said again, "I can hear it chirping." She said, "If you are not quiet...we are going to the room with the babies." I watched during the Mass and his little face just kept looking up. I couldn't see a thing either. Maybe it was a spiritual moment I thought :)

Now we move forward to Mass on Saturday, Feb. 8th at 5pm. Hubby and I walk into the Church and kneel before entering the 3rd row pew. We take our coats off and pull down the kneeler and kneel to pray. Eyes closed I felt something whir past me in the air. We sit back on the pew and I spot it out of the corner of my eye...where the boy had been pointing. It took off again and whirred past us again. I turned to hubby and said, trying to be calm... It's a bat! By now the whole congregation was astir. The bat was wheeling and swirling over us like crazy. Swooping down and around the sanctuary. After about 5 min. the optometrist at the end of our row said,"This is very upsetting for me...I'm leaving." A mother and her two girls, who were ducking and tittering got up and left for the hallway. Anytime anyone would leave the bat would follow to the door, but not go out. Next came our Priest. He swayed down the center aisle with his vestments flowing behind him. In his sweet Nigerian dialect he said, "We will turn out de lights and open da front door and de bat will follow de light." He gave us his wonderful smile and left the altar...going to turn off the lights. I said to hubby, "Bats like the darkness...he won't follow de light." I was right. It was actually more disturbing to sit in total darkness with a bat swirling overhead. The lights came on after a bit. Now a large man...an usher....came forward with two collection baskets in hand. They have long handles and he was swinging them trying to catch or hit the creature. The music director opened the side door. The bat was really getting tired by now and was not up high anymore...he swooped closer and closer to the congregation...we could have put our hands out and touched him. Things were going through my head, Batman, rabies, a bat in my hair, bats in a cave...I'm sure everyone was thinking along those lines. Well, the bat won. As Father came forward to start Mass the bat soared to the top peak of the ceiling and landed on the brick. He stayed there for the rest of the Mass. It was amazing to me that all but a couple of people stayed in their seats. No shrieking or ducking. Calmness prevailed. The Mass went on without a hitch. At the very end, Father said, "Will the ushers remain in the Church...we have work to do." His face was beaming. When I woke up this morning, my first thought was wondering if they got the bat to leave.

A verse came to mind....All creatures great and small...the Lord God loves them all.

Balisha