Part I: Preparation for mass

As Catholics, we have been given the greatest gift that has ever been bestowed upon mankind. The grace of taking part at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is a greater gift than any earthly treasure. It means joining our own sacrifices to that of the priest to that of Christ and thus sharing in the merits of Christ's passion; the fruits of our redemption. It is a greater gift than so many things that we rightly prize things like peace and good health, or even family and loved ones. All too often, though, led astray by the clamoring demands of the world, or by the sly treachery of the Devil, our appreciation of this greatest treasure is dimmed and diminished. And if we do not approach the mass with a living understanding of what it is, we do not share in its spiritual fruits as fully as we might, and we deprive ourselves of that gift that Christ suffered so much to give to us.

Because the mass is such a precious thing, and because our understanding of its value is so easily dimmed, and always open to enrichment, it is worthwhile to meditate upon it. By turning over each of the parts of the mass in our minds, and by remembering their spiritual significance, we drink more fully of Christ's grace each time we attend mass. The mass will then help even more to perfect us in love toward God and neighbor, and finally to reach that perfect union with God for which all of us were created.

In this series of articles, I intend to give a brief spiritual reflection on the various parts of the mass, in the hope that my writing will not only benefit me as I recall the wonders God works for us, but also be of use to whoever may read it. The mass is a rich treasury of divine gifts; let us be mindful that it is given to us as Christians.

When one first approaches a Catholic church, he should have some sense of the presence of the supernatural in the world. In most parts of the world, the church is placed in the center of the town, often on the main square, and its position there serves to remind us that the Church is fully in the world, incarnate because her Master became incarnate, placed at the center of daily life. If a town is laid out around a cathedral or church at the center, it reminds us that everything else exists in relationship to God, and ought to be lived or done for him. If the position of the building reminds us that the church is in the world, its architecture has been calculated to show us that the church is not of the world. Whether one approaches the gothic spires of a medieval church, or the ample carved façade of a baroque one, or even the variety of geometrical forms that characterize modern church architecture, he finds himself before a building whose structure proclaims that it is not some ordinary, practical, space, but one set aside for sacred use the house of God and gate of heaven. The artistry of the building should serve to remind him that when he steps through the doors, he is not simply moving a few feet in space, but is performing a religious act making a declaration of his belief in God, and of his intention to worship Him. Even if the architecture of the church may be in some way deficient in this regard, surely his faith and his heart will be touched as he steps through the portal which marks him and sets him aside as a Christian. Surely he will be conscious that he is passing in a sense from this world into the presence of God. Once inside the church, the Christian finds himself in the presence of his Lord, who dwells in the tabernacle of this church just as he dwells in all of the churches throughout the world. He also finds himself in a particular way united with the other people who have already arrived to pray and to worship God. He might be reminded by analogy of his hoped-for entrance into eternal life, when he hopes to enter into the company of the blessed who are gathered in adoration of the eternal Lamb. In any case, he shows his reverence and love by genuflecting before his Lord, lowering himself in a gesture of humility before his Maker, acknowledging that God is God and that he is God's creature, who has nothing aside from that which God has given him. Dipping his hand into the holy water font, he is reminded of the waters of baptism, through which he first entered the Church the mystical body of Christ and through which he was given the right by God to be here, to join in the worship of the Church, to share in the wedding feast of the Lamb. Making the sign of the cross, he traces over his body the sign of his redemption, the price paid by Christ to bring him here and unite him with Himself. The recitation of the name of the trinity is both creed and supplication, a request for divine aid and a statement of Who it is Whose company he now shares; an acknowledgement of Whose divine life it is in which the Christian now participates. The believer then moves down the aisle, drawing closer to the altar where the divine mysteries will be made present, and to the tabernacle where the divine presence now dwells. Having come close enough, he again genuflects before the mystery of the divine presence, and takes his place in the pew.

Aware of what is about to take place, let this Christian prepare himself well for what is to come! Let him take the time before mass to kneel before his God, asking to be made worthy to receive his Creator. Perhaps he will recite the prayer of St. Thomas, "Almighty and ever living God, I approach the sacrament of your only begotten Son..." Perhaps he has made a point to come early so that he might confess his sins to the priest before he receives Holiness itself from the priest's hands. In any case, let him put these precious minutes to good use, for what he is about to do is more important than any thing else he has done in his life he is about to dare to receive his God into his own body.

©Theodore Book, 2007, reprinted with permission