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 seat. Sometimes we will occupy the same seat for years, for no other reason but it feels right for us, but as the following little story will illustrate, moving seats in church can be very bad for your health.

"She's very nice, in fact a really good friend ... but she is sitting in my seat. I know it's no big deal, I can sit somewhere else... but it's my seat. My seat is on the right facing the sanctuary, it's an end seat and I chose it because I can rest my arm on the end of the pew. It's a really good seat, but I would never raise a fuss about a seat and I never hold grudges. Actually, it was more than three months ago when she first took it and I don't really know why, I've never done anything to her, I've never taken her seat, so why me?"

"I suppose I'll have to come to Mass an hour earlier from now on, just to get my seat back. She only took it because it's one of the best seats in church, near a radiator, so it's nice and warm during winter. She had no business taking my seat, why should I have to go to church two hours early, just to get what is rightfully mine!

This is the way all social injustice begins, abusive people taking other people's seats. It's the way the seeds of revolution are sown, because a person can only stand for so much before they break.

Where's it all going to end? Soon nobody's seat will be safe; people will think they can sit where they please. I've suddenly had a terrible thought, what about my parking space? They'll be taking that over as well soon and then world order will be in complete
shambles... When will it ever end?"

We may all smile at this lady's predicament, but it's amazing how quickly we fall to pieces, when any of our cosy little routines are disrupted for any reason.

"Love begins when our need becomes less important than the needs of others."