Reflections on the Mass: Preparations

The Second Vatican Council called the Eucharist, which stands at the heart of Holy Mass, the “source and summit” of our Christian faith and life, for in the Eucharist, we receive Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Over the next few weeks and perhaps even months, we will reflect on the Mass, digging deeply into its words and actions so that we can experience it with greater reverence and love.

Before Mass, we have the obligation to prepare ourselves to pray devoutly and meet Jesus in the Eucharist. This means going to Confession if we are conscious of a mortal sin, but there is actually quite a bit more to full preparation.

If possible, we should read and meditate on the day's Scripture readings so that we hear them with greater attention when they are read at Mass. This early reading opens our hearts and minds to what God is saying to us in His Word. Then as we listen, we will be more likely to catch what He wants to tell us, and indeed, certain words, phrases, or ideas often jump out that can lead to further meditation later on.

We should always make an effort to arrive at church at least fifteen minutes early. This provides a chance for prayer so that we can transition ourselves out of worldly concerns and into the reverent, sacred atmosphere of the Mass. Our prayer might take the form of offering ourselves to God, leaving our worries at His feet, asking for special blessings, requesting His grace to experience the Mass with a deep gratitude and to receive the Eucharist worthily, and whatever else helps us get our minds and hearts ready to encounter God in the Mass.

As we enter into church, we should make the Sign of the Cross with holy water. This provides us with a visual symbol of our entry into a sacred space. It also reminds us of our Baptism when we entered into God's covenant family and received His indwelling presence in our souls. We might take a moment to renew our Baptismal promises. The Sign of the Cross itself allows us to inscribe ourselves with the Cross, reminding us to unite our sufferings with Christ, and to invoke the Blessed Trinity so that everything we think, say, and do may be pleasing to God and blessed by Him.

Before entering the pew, we genuflect (or bow deeply if genuflecting isn't possible). We are coming into the presence of the King of the Universe Who is in the Tabernacle at this very moment. We must recognize His presence and honor Him with our bodies and our minds.

A note about reverence... The sacred space of the church is not the place to have a friendly chat. That should always be reserved for the gathering area. Within the nave (where the congregation sits), there should be a reverent silence before Mass so that people can pray. Chatting out loud or even in continual whispers is not in keeping with reverence, and it is disrespectful to people trying to pray.

We should devote these precious minutes before Mass to prayer and meditation so that when the liturgy begins we are ready to enter into it fully and worship deeply.

Gospel Acclamation: The Epiphany of the Lord

We saw His star at its rising and have come to do Him homage.

The magi were pagans, not Jews. They did not have the benefit of the Scriptures with all their prophecies of the Messiah to come. They did not live in Israel and were not immersed in the culture or the religion or the hopes of salvation.

But the magi were more observant and more enthusiastic than the Jews. They knew from some obscure prophecy or message down the line, perhaps from Daniel or other Jews during the Babylonian exile, that a King was coming. They had been watching for the sign of His arrival for many years, perhaps even many decades or many centuries. And when they saw that sign, they recognized it and immediately set out to find the King Who had now come. They did not hesitate. They did not wait. They knew that something remarkable had happened, and while they did not fully understand it, they longed to participate in it. So they followed the star all the way to Jesus.

Do we have the observant and enthusiastic attitude of the magi? To we watch and wait eagerly for what God has to show us? Do we respond at once with joy, willing to set out on a long journey of whatever sort to do His will and find what He has in store for us? Are we like the magi?

Gospel Acclamation: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, He has spoken to us through the Son.

Today's Gospel acclamation emphasizes the amazing new thing God has done in these “last days.” God has always spoken to His people. He sent messages through the prophets. He inspired Scripture. He guided Moses and David and the Maccabees. He manifested His will in many different ways.

Yet all of this was building toward a climax. Every message was preparing the way for something brand new, something never before seen or heard or experienced. Every word God spoke to His people was, in some way, getting them ready for the coming of His Word, His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Today as we mark the beginning a new year, we should take the time to reflect on how we will let God's Word speak to us anew each day by opening our minds and hearts to our encounters with our Lord in the sacraments and in Scripture, in the depths of our conscience and in other people. These may seem like many and varied ways, but in reality, they are all interactions with God's Word, come to us as Jesus Christ, God incarnate.

Gospel Acclamation: Christmas

A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. For today a great light has come upon the earth.

On this Christmas, take some time out for quiet worship that you may bask in the great light that has come upon the earth. Let the light of Christ fill your mind, your heart, your soul, and your whole being. Step back from the busyness of the holiday to adore Him. Place yourself in an attitude of awe and wonder before the Baby in the manger, for indeed a holy day has dawned upon us.

Gospel Acclamation: Fourth Sunday of Advent

The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.

These words come from Isaiah 7:14 but are applied directly to Jesus in Matthew 1:23. Isaiah meant the words as a prophetic sign, and of course, those prophetic signs operate on many different levels, most of which are not evident to the prophet and his contemporaries. Isaiah likely never imaged how his words would ultimately be fulfilled by God incarnate, coming among us Himself to save us from our sins and open the way to Heaven.

Jesus is truly Emmanuel, God-with-us. The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the only-begotten Son of the Father, has become a human being, a tiny baby, in fact, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He has laid aside His glory to embrace suffering. He has become poor that we might become rich. Out of His infinite love, He has given Himself up for our salvation. He entered into our human condition in everything except sin so that He could make us God's beloved children, people of the New Covenant, and temples of the living God.

Gospel Acclamation: Third Sunday of Advent

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

Our Gospel acclamation today comes from Isaiah 61:1. It is the beginning of a passage about a year of favor from God, a time when the brokenhearted will be healed, captives freed, and mourners comforted. The prophet is to proclaim joy and peace and love, and the people will worship God.

Jesus takes these words as His own at His baptism in the Jordan river. He is the fulfillment of this prophecy. He is anointed directly by the Holy Spirit, Who descends upon Him like a dove, and He enters into His public ministry to bring glad tidings to the poor.

Now Jesus passes this duty on to us. We, too, have been anointed by the Spirit. When we are baptized and confirmed, we become vessels of God. His indwelling presence is within us, and His grace fills us. We are called and commissioned to bring glad tidings to the poor, to tell people the good news of the Gospel, to introduce them to God, to proclaim His love for all of us, and to guide them on the path to God. We are to cooperate with our Lord in this important work as the Spirit of the Lord rests upon us, guiding us and filling us with His gifts.

Gospel Acclamation: Second Sunday of Advent

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

In today's Gospel, we hear about John the Baptist and his proclamation of Isaiah's prophetic message. John and Isaiah both call us to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight His paths. But how do we do this?

First, we pray. This does not mean just mumbling a few prayers now and then but really opening the heart and mind to God and connecting with Him. Prayer is about intimacy with God. It is, as we read in the Catechism, “the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (#2559). It is, as St. Thérèse of Lisieux so beautifully remarked, “a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” In prayer, we make straight the path of God right into our lives and minds and hearts and souls.

Second, we receive the sacraments. We go to Confession and lay down our sins before God with contrite hearts. We receive the Eucharist with devotion, greeting our Lord with joy when He comes to us and allowing Him to burn away our venial sins in the fire of His love and strengthen us against mortal sins.

Third, we read and study the Scriptures. We listen closely to what God has to say to us in His Word, and then we make that message our own, embracing it, meditating on it, and putting it into practice.

Fourth, we do penance. We deny ourselves some things that are good so that we are ready to accept things that are better. The things of this world, even when they are good, can become a distraction. They can draw our minds and hearts away from God. So we deliberately set them aside so that we can focus on God first and foremost and then enjoy everything else in proper order and with gratitude.

Thus, we can prepare the way of the Lord and make straight His paths so that we can be ready to greet Him at Christmas, to embrace the salvation He brings, and one day, to joyously see Him face-to-face in Heaven.