Some thoughts on how to make participating in Holy Mass a tremendously unifying and absolutely life-changing experience between you and our most loving, generous, and merciful Triune God.
Don't just be Catholic. Be PROFOUNDLY Catholic. What does that mean? It means experiencing everything and anything that happens within the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, AND Pro-Life Church, which is the majestic full expression of Christianity as established by its very Founder, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as extraordinary events.
For example, ask the Christ Child to visit you during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. When He does, the beautiful Little Boy may just look into your eyes while saying with unfathomable gentleness, humility, and sacrificial love, "I am going to grow up and die on a Cross for you, because I love you that much."
Being profoundly Catholic means having the heavenly God-Child visit on another day, perhaps this time during a different part of the Holy Mass, as you return to your pew just after you received the Eucharist. There He toddles alongside as you walk, while His Sacred and crucified Body reposes on your tongue. His steps are lively and filled with joy! Why? Because He is so incredibly happy that you came to thank Him, praise Him, love Him, be with Him, receive Him, and be intimately unified with Him. He died for you, and is so glad that you care.
The following information is presented as a guide to help you get the most out of participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and to help you deepen your spiritual union with God as you accomplish His will throughout your evolving apostolate. Grow in holiness!
"Jesus has many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few cross-bearers. Many desire His consolation, but few His tribulation. Many will sit down with Him at table, but few will share His fast. All desire to rejoice with Him, but few will suffer for Him." 1 ~ Thomas A. Kempis
Don't just be Catholic; be PROFOUNDLY Catholic! God is so in love with you!!
Before You Leave Home
One of the first ways you can begin reverencing God, before Holy Mass even begins, is by dressing yourself in clothes that are suitable for being in the Presence of our King. By dressing modestly and reverently, you are already worshiping and pleasing God, and you are growing in holiness. Don't ever let your clothes offend your great dignity, and certainly, don't ever let your clothes offend God.
If you are ever tempted to wear something unsuitable, reflect on the moment when Jesus, our model of purity and modesty, was stripped of His clothing.
While On Your Way to the Church for Holy Mass
Already begin loving God while on your way to the church. Be as patient as you can on your way, as a means of preparing your heart for Someone so extraordinary. If you are with others, say some prayers or speak fondly of Jesus, and always express your gratitude. If you are alone you can pray, or have a personal and meaningful conversation with God while on your way. Speak to any member of the Blessed Trinity, to Blessed Mother, the saints, and/or the angels, including your angel guardian. Perhaps you will remain in silence along the way. Most importantly, already begin preparing your heart for mystical union with Jesus.
You'll be absolutely delighted when it becomes second nature to be so well prepared in advance that your heart is overflowing with love before you even set foot through the church doors!
When Entering the Church
Begin walking along the Way of
the Cross with Jesus as you enter the church.
When you genuflect and offer this gesture as a sign of adoration, respect, and submission to the will of God, keep in mind that Jesus is right there with you, and welcomes you!
Remember as you kneel why you are there, including: in obedience, to
worship your Savior, to participate in a mystery, and though unworthy, to receive His Precious Body and Blood. Bow accordingly. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass begins with
your bowing before the King of Kings. If you are physically able to, bow reverently, in a manner appropriate
for the occasion. If you can't bow down physically, bow reverently with your heart. + Our actions matter, and our loving and deeply meaningful gestures are very pleasing to our Lord.
Preparing Your Heart Before Holy Mass
Discover or rediscover the POWER of Holy Hour! Jesus asks us, "Give Me one hour." While making a Holy Hour, pray at the foot of the Cross. See yourself among the crowd at the moment of humanity's redemption, your place determined by where you sit in church during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Say to our Savior, "Jesus, do you see me? I am here with You, because I love You."
Unite all your suffering, good works, limitations, joys, anxieties, hopes, fears, successes, failures, everything, and anything from the past week, or day, to His sacrifice on Calvary.
When you pray before Holy Mass, remember that you are preparing your heart to enter into a mystery. Tell the Lord you are so grateful to be there to worship Him, thank Him, praise Him, offer supplications for others, and receive Him. Speak to Him honestly and from your heart. As you pray, be assured that "No prayer is ever lost" (St. John Vianney).
Jesus, Blessed Mother, the angels, and the saints are there, among the faithful, as we pray, offer up thanksgiving and prayers on behalf of humanity, and praise God, while also unifying our souls and our wills to Him. Our heavenly intercessors comfort, listen, care, support, and help us prepare.
During the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Pray and sing during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass along with your favorite Saints! Ask your favorite saints to worship with you, or meet some new friends and intercessors when God sends them for your benefit.
Don't just recite the prayers and sing the hymns; EXPRESS them. Pray and sing to Jesus personally. Offer your actions to God as lovingly as you can. Pour your heart into them. God is so happy when we choose to become participants in this great mystery. Smile, be moved to tears, be joyful, be sorry for your transgressions, eager to accept His graces and His embraces, and be grateful. Love much!
Listen to the living word of God during the readings (whoever said Catholics don't read their Bibles!) and ask God to enlighten you with something He knows will be spiritually beneficial.
So much more could be said here. What are your thoughts?
The Homily
During and through every single part of the Holy Mass, in very word and action, God is loving every one of us. It is quite phenomenal, once the soul recognizes this. Everything that takes place is an action of the love of God, an action He performs because of His immeasurable love for each one of us!
Every time you participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, ask Jesus to teach you something new. He will! Prepare to be astounded and delighted.
During the homily, God comes to every single member of the congregation through the words of the priest or deacon. Whether we are listening or not, whether we understand or not, whether we want to be there or not, every single person in the church absorbs the love of God expressed through the homily. If Catholicism isn't absolutely rocking your world, then you don't know Catholicism!
There's more.
The Offeratory
How extraordinarily beautiful it is to bring up the gifts during this significant part of the Mass, to hold the gifts as the small group lines up during the prayer intentions, while the supplications of the human family are offered to our caring God. Line up with the angels, with the altar boys, with members of your faith community, with your angel guardian by your side.
Sometimes the Child Jesus stands among the altar boys in the front of the line.
Medidate for a moment on what you are doing. You are presenting the gifts of bread and wine to the priest(s) and deacon(s) which will become our Lord's sacred Body and Blood, and then Jesus will come to every one of us who receives Holy Communion!
On weekends, you also process up with the material gifts lovingly offered by the people back to the One who gave them in the first place.
Along with these offerings, offer yourself, and all your works, your family's works, your community's works, and your nation's works to God in thanksgiving. Offer God everything you have and all that you are. Offer yourself to Him as a victim, as you hand the gifts to the priest and deacon victims, as Jesus offers Himself to all of us as the Victim of eternal love.
If you are not bringing up the gifts, participate mystically in the procession and offer yourself as they arrive at the altar. Join the congregation in singing the hymn, say a short prayer, pray for the souls in purgatory in general, and for the souls of family and friends who have entered into eternal life.
During the Consecration
From the revelations of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich: "Several times during the scourging, I saw what seemed to be mourning Angels appear around Jesus, and constantly through the piercing hail of ignominious pain, I heard Him offer Himself to God for man..."
Offer yourself now to God the Father for Jesus, Who offered Himself to the Father for us. "Most loving and merciful Jesus, I now offer myself to God for YOU..."
Be there on Calvary during the consecration, as the lance pierces Jesus' Sacred Heart and His precious Blood mystically splatters the congregation with God's redeeming power. Conduct yourself accordingly. Accept His great love for you! Be sure to thank Him and love Him, with all your heart. Pray for all the members of the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ, for the conversion of sinners, the dying, and the suffering souls in purgatory.
From the autobiography of Saint Gemma Galgani: "One evening when I was at prayer, He (Jesus) came to bring peace to my soul. I felt myself entirely recollected and I found myself for a second time before Jesus Crucified. He said to me, 'Look Daughter, and learn how to love,' and He showed me His five open wounds. 'Do you see this cross, these thorns, these nails, these bruises, these tears, these wounds, this blood? They are all works of love; of infinite love. Do you see how much I have loved you? Do you really want to love Me? Then first learn how to suffer. It is by suffering that one learns how to love.'
Receiving Holy Communion
"We are so accustomed to praying at the Sacrifice of the Mass, praying when we receive Holy Communion, and praying before the Blessed Sacrament, that we are liable to forget, and what a lapse of memory this would be, that before, long before, we attach prayer to the Eucharist, we should identify the Holy Eucharist as prayer. It is, and not just the indefinite article A prayer, it is THE prayer. In fact, the most powerful source of grace we have on earth." 2 Father John A. Hardon, S.J.
Present yourself to God at the communion rail, mystically covered with His sacrificial love, and offer yourself to Jesus at the same moment He offers Himself to you!
Reverence the suffering Jesus on your tongue, feel and taste His woundedness, and unite your own wounds to His. Feel His Precious Blood purifying your tongue! Offer reparation to to the threatened Infant Jesus, to the peaceful Baby Jesus, to the honest and hardworking carpenter's Son, to the Jesus of the Passion, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or to our Resurrected Savior, for every wound Jesus accepted in your place.
As You Return To Your Pew
The Blessed Sacrament is a sacrament of initiation, because the Eucharist brings us into the fullness of our life in Christ. Every single Holy Communion is of immeasurable worth to us.
The Eucharist is, among so many other things, the most wonderful work of God's love. The Living Bread from Heaven is our Treasure, our strength, our joy, and the source of grace. The greatest blessing we receive from the Eucharist is an increase of Sanctifying Grace, the very life of our souls.
Have you ever given much thought to the walk back to your pew, once you rise from your knees after having received Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament?
Never take that precious walk when you are united with your saving Guest for granted, for you and Jesus make that journey together. Yes, He is walking with you!
That walk together with Jesus back to your pew is representative of your everyday walk with Christ as His beloved creation, disciple, and servant. As God and as Man, Jesus understands every circumstance you will ever encounter. He knows you intimately, and loves you personally.
Just before His death, Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper so He would remain with us always to strengthen us, encourage us, and help us grow in sanctity as we strive to resemble Him in all our actions.
Jesus accompanies us, throughout our lives, toward eternity.
When you are injured or sick, you are walking with our battered and injured Jesus, our patiently suffering Savior, our humble, holy, physically compromised, loving, gentle, and always forgiving Brother and Friend. You travel with Him along the Way of the Cross, passing the Stations of Sorrow that surround the entire congregation, whom God loves beyond all human comprehension.
The Way of the Cross was finite, and yet it stretched into eternity. The same is true for your walk with Christ back to your pew.
Flanking you and Jesus are the prideful, the humble, the hateful, the merciful, the remorseful, the indifferent, those kind souls whose hearts are broken at the sight of His and your suffering, the hardhearted, the charitable, the selfish, the servants, the courageous, the spiritually blinded, and those who see through the eyes of God.
Your walk with Jesus must share the same goal Jesus had from His incarnation to His death on Calvary: to accomplish the most perfect will of God the Father.
As He walks with you, you journey with Him to Golgotha, where He gave everything He had for you. Give Him everything you have in return.
Perhaps you are having a good day, things are going well in your life, and as you journey with Christ you most resemble our Resurrected Lord, who, after redeeming mankind, triumphed over the grave and ascended victorious to heaven where He sits at the right hand of God.
Perhaps you are mourning one or more losses and you walk with our lonely, innocent, and rejected Jesus, who was abandoned by His friends and sentenced to death by His enemies.
Your journey back may be extremely sorrowful as you long for loved ones who have passed into eternity. Jesus mourned, too. Perhaps He longed for the presence of His beloved and devoted foster father St. Joseph, who had preceded Him in death. Unify your thoughts with those of your Redeemer when the journey is lonely. As He lovingly comforts you, comfort and love Him in return.
Sometimes the walk back to your seat is slowed down by people walking in front of you, and you are granted extra time to reflect. Perhaps you share the moment when Jesus met His most sorrowful Mother along the Way of Our Redemption. Such moments are so valuable for your soul; never take Their sacrifices, or the sacrifices of others, for granted.
Do you see children walking to their seats in front of you? Perhaps they were behind you, but caught up to you and walk right next to you. They journey back to their seats with the Child Jesus joyfully, full of wonder, sometimes playful, always eager to please and share God's love with others.
Are you returning to your seat after having received Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament worthily and with a clear conscience? He is comforted by your presence along the Way of the Cross, for He summoned every bit of strength He had to make it to the Cross so He could spend Himself, completely and personally, for every single one of us.
Jesus loves you that much.
Perhaps you head back to your place in church after having received Jesus unworthily. As you walk with Jesus along the Via Dolorosa, see that He fell three times to show you how to get back up again. So begin again. Accept His great love and trust in His infinite mercy. Go to Confession with humble confidence and be forgiven.
Whatever the particular circumstances in your life at any given moment, remember that after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, He is truly Present within you. Together, you and Jesus journey back to your seat to continue accomplishing the will of God. You are His instrument of love!
What was your journey like today, and in what way did you resemble Jesus?
Always remember that to truly walk along with Christ, we must take God's side and make the journey unified with our pro-life Creator. The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary reminds us that God is pro-life, our Blessed Mother is pro-life, the saints are all pro-life, and to truly live in imitation of Christ, we must be pro-life, too.
After Holy Communion
After receiving the Eucharist and returning to the pew, kiss the Child Jesus while thanking Him, as His Sacred Body reposes on your tongue.
As you express your gratitude to the most loving of men, meditate on the wound in His side. See His Sacred Heart sliced open, His body lifeless and yet He still lives, having poured forth His love and mercy for every single one of us.
Speaking to St. Margaret Mary, Jesus called His Sacred Heart the “source of all healing and sanctifying grace.” Jesus asks us to give Him our hearts, and live a life of union that is glorious for God, sweet and fruitful for our souls, and powerful for us to obtain graces for others. In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, “Our prayers will be sanctified, our atonement rendered acceptable, our love purified, our thanksgiving enhanced, our good works ennobled, our faults supplied for.” 3
Final Blessing, Final Hymn
As the celebrant gives you a final blessing, remember that God is blessing you and make the sign of the cross reverently. Offer this gesture to Jesus as another sign of your love. One way to grow in appreciation for this loving part of the Mass is to always receive this blessing as if it was to be your last.
During the final hymn, sing the Lord’s praises as an offering of love to Jesus as He continues to repose on your tongue, while He dwells within you Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity!
Thank God for remaining with us through the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ as you bow respectfully to the priest(s) while they process out during the final hymn. Be sure to pray for priests!
Remain and pray with Jesus after the final hymn. Thank Him, and remain with Him a bit longer, meditating on His life or His passion, and vow to remain with Him throughout the day!
“The true Christian should be willing to endure the sufferings of the spirit as Jesus Christ did when He was betrayed by one of His disciples, denied by another, and abandoned by all.” ~ St. John Bosco
As You Leave the Church
As soon as you exit the church, remember that you are the monstrance that takes our Savior out into the world. Conduct yourself as His worthy representative, and share His love with everyone you encounter.
Receive Holy Communion in the state of grace as often as you can, and go to Confession often. These sacraments are of immeasurable value to us.
Never take Jesus’ love for granted; love Him in return and Honor Him, all the days of your life.
While praying the Rosary Before or After Holy Mass
Pray the Rosary along with everyone who has ever prayed it throughout all time. Pray it with Blessed Mother, with your guardian angel, and with the saints. Pray it with the Pope!
Meditate on Jesus’ life. This helps us live in imitation of Christ. Journey with Him through His entire life. Be there with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; stand with Him at the pillar. Look into His eyes as He is crowned with thorns, learn from His submission to the will of the Father, His obedience, humility, love for humanity, fraternal charity, self mastery, and immediate forgiveness.
Oh so much more can be said, and done! With how much love can you do it?
Interested in even MORE profoundly Catholic inspiration?
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The Most Extraordinary Things Happen When You Give Yourself to God Completely and Accept His Magnificent Offer of Salvation and Sanctification God is at work in you!
© Joseph Karl Publishing/Michele Bondi Bottesi
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Sources:
1. Thomas A. Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Corporation, 1993), p. 88.
2. Father John A. Hardon, S.J., On the Holy Eucharist as Prayer. Copyright © 2000 - 2012 by www.therealpresence.org. All rights reserved worldwide. Used with permission.
3. Devotion to the Sacred Heart (Charlotte, NC: Tan Books, 2010; Originally published at Clyde, MO, under the title True Veneration of the Sacred Heart, 8th Edition, November, 1949), pp. 59-60.
Images taken at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Slovak Catholic Church, Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.A.; with the exception of the image with St. Augustine quote, which was taken at The Divine Mercy Center, Eastpointe, Michigan, U.S.A.