From today until some weeks I will be explaining the significance of important actions and objects in the Holy Mass.

EXPLANATION OF THE PRAYERS OF THE MASS

We attend mass every Sunday, and some of us everyday and so, the more we understand the meaning and significance of the prayers and actions at the mass the better we can participate. So I thought I would shorten the regular homily a little bit for a few Sundays and dwell a few minutes explaining the Mass.

1.  How to Prepare for the mass: The success and fruit of anything rests on the preparation for it.

Jesus sent a few of his disciples to prepare for his last supper, of which the Holy Mass is a commemoration. Jesus said: “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ( Mass begins at your home). So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover (Lk.22:7f).

Remote preparation should start on Monday. Mass is not just being present one hour here at the Church. It is the offering of one’s whole life, especially your whole being, including your labor and cares and concerns. Our whole week’s labor is what we offer at the Mass. When you do your job during the week you are preparing for the offertory for the Sunday Mass. When the bread is offered the priest says: Blessed are you Lord God of creation, through your goodness we have received this bread to offer. Fruit of the earth and WORK of human hands…it will become for us the bread of life. We may not have the bread or wine made directly by our own hands, but your labor paid for the buying of the gifts and all the things involved at the Mass bringing your presence and contribution.

The proximate preparation begins a day before. Saturday you should begin reading the scripture passages and reflect on them which would make you more at ease when the scripture is read and the sermon is heard. You would get a lot out of the table of the word of God if come prepared than when you just come and show up. Preparation is not just with regard to the readings and meditating them, but you need to think about what am I going to offer there besides the collection envelop, you need to think about the week’s blessings, the concerns and the anxieties and bring them to offer in the chalice. Get the Sunday best ready; a dress that would not distract others in the pew, a dress that would help honor the Lord. Choose the clothes to match the sacredness and the spiritual intent of our action in the Mass. The way I am dressed reflects and affects my attitude and mood of the time. Don’t we dress well to meet an important person? One hour fast is meant to get us to an immediate and intentional preparation. It makes you prepare for the spiritual food and communion that we are going to receive. Start out early enough from home to reach at least 15 minutes early so you can be at rest and have a few prayers said to settle down. If you go to a ball game or movie you make sure you reach early enough before they start the movie or before they dim the lights in the theater. If we take such a care for having some entertainment how much should we care about worshiping God and that too to fulfill a command from the Lord: do this in memory of me. It is not optional. Not you may do this. Do this.

When we go to movie we get some popcorn to pass the time because it is only entertainment we go to get from there. The mass is not the time for entertainment, so we cannot chew gum during the Mass. That wouldn’t give us a proper attitude to attend the mass; not just for ourselves, but even for those who observe us. When you come to communion with gum chewing in the mouth, it would give the impression that you make no difference between the Holy communion and the gum. You may be telling by your ACTION that you do not believe in the real presence. Do you take medicine while having chewing gum in your mouth? Coming to church is not for entertainment, it is not primarily to GET something that we come here for, it is to give: to give honor and glory, worship and praise to God for his gifts. Therefore even if we don’t get an inspirational homily, or the message did not move us much, do not be upset, because the primary purpose of our coming to Mass is to give rather than to get something; that is secondary.

As part of the preparation you need to check what ministry you can do at the Mass besides just being present. Like: being ushers, Sacristans, servers, Lectors, musicians, EMOC. Without these services the Mass cannot be properly and easily conducted. Being willing to do any of these services is one of the ways you can closely assist the mass. This just about the preparation. We will continue the rest next Sunday.