Well, the Mass is something that many of us are so used to that we can more or less take it for granted. Sometimes, we may even wonder what we are doing there when we are at Mass. Sometimes, we may feel a bit bored! Sometimes, we may feel that we can take it or leave it! Sometimes, one can get the feeling that the whole value of the Mass is in the value of the homily. On the other hand, sometimes we get a real sense of the importance and centrality of the Mass in our following of Jesus Christ.
Well, what are we doing at Mass? Why is it given such centrality in Catholic life? Even given the many ups and downs and changes in the course of the history of the Mass, it has always been seen as being at the core of our faith.
In the words following the action of Jesus at the Last Supper, we find the words: “Do THIS in memory of me”. Do this thing which I have just done with you in memory of me. We take those words seriously!
So, I would like to suggest that in this series of articles in the newsletter this year, we do a tour of the Mass. Let us go through each of its parts – large and small – and look at what they mean and how they fit together; let’s look at how we fit into the Mass as it progresses from beginning to end, or perhaps better how do we put ourselves into it?
The things we do at Mass are made up of the things that we do throughout the rest of our lives: we listen and respond, we say thanks and give praise where it is due; we eat and drink together; we have times of quiet; we stand and sit; we use our hands, our tongues, our heads; we greet each other and converse with each other. These things that we do every day, we do in the new context of the Mass and doing them at Mass ought to make our doing of them at other times richer and more meaningful.
Lets begin our tour next week.
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Carol-Ann says:
I’m looking through this series as I am always curious as to why we do certain things during Mass – for instance – during the Our Father I notice the priest and many of the congregation will hold their hands out. Should we all be doing that?