In last week’s article, I introduced the theme that I hope to focus on for the new few months, that of delving more deeply into our understanding and appreciation of our greatest prayer, which is the Mass. I indicated that my first reflection would be to address how to prepare for Mass, explaining that how we prepare will have a direct impact on how we experience this great prayer. As I’ve reflected on this over the past week, it strikes me that there are two basic areas of preparation that we need to consider – internal and external. This week we will focus on the internal preparation, and next week we will consider the external preparation.
There are a few different ways to approach our internal preparation, but I think I would like to start with doing an examination on our attitude toward the Mass. I think I may have written about this one other time, but repeating it certainly will not hurt! Think about how you and your family talk about going to Mass. How often have you said internally or externally: “We have to go to Mass today”, feeling the burden of obligation over the opportunity to praise God. It is true, we have an obligation to go to Mass, and I addressed that when I spoke about the Precepts of the Church, how we are obliged to go to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.
How do you feel about that obligation? What do you notice moving in your heart when you think about having to go to Mass? For some, I am certain it is not something that fills us with much enthusiasm. There are other things we can do during the weekend, and going to Mass can seem like an inconvenience. Or, perhaps our experience of being at Mass has left us feeling unfulfilled. It is not uncommon to to hear people say: “I do not get anything out of Mass.” With reverence and respect, I respond to that with a question: “But what do you put into going to Mass?” I say that not to make people feel guilty, but to invite them to consider that maybe what is lacking is not the Mass itself, but our attitudes toward Mass. This is my ultimate reason for offering this series, to help us to see how we can bring our entire selves to the Mass, understanding it’s beauty and better understanding how we are called to enter into the Mass, such that it becomes a transformative experience for us, and not something we simply have to endure.
So, what is your attitude toward Mass? Acknowledge it and humbly bring it before the Lord in prayer. If you struggle with seeing Mass as important and something to look forward to, tell Him. If you love going to Mass, tell Him that as well. If you are somewhere in between, tell Him that! By bringing this to the Lord, we are asking Him to expand our hearts so that we can love this prayer more. I presume all of us want to grow in our love for the Mass and that we are not content to just endure it for the rest of our lives! So let’s start with asking the Lord for the grace He wants for us, especially as it concerns the Mass. He desires for us to understand and experience the profound gift of His love that is available at every Mass. Do you desire that too? I hope so. And if you do, tell Him. That might be one of the most important places to start as we begin this journey together in exploring the riches of this greatest prayer we have as Catholics.