Eucharist

Who is Jesus

What would you say if someone asked you which holiday was more important: Christmas or Easter? How we answer this question can shape how we view Jesus and our relationship with Him.

From the perspective of society, Christmas seems much more popular and celebrated than Easter. We don’t have Easter parties all month long, nor do we celebrate in our workplaces, our neighborhoods, or in our hobbies/sports affiliations. Even those who don’t believe in Jesus will decorate a tree in their home and exchange gifts. Christmas preparations and celebrations can last from the middle of November into the beginning of the New Year. Easter seems to be a holiday that is acceptable to celebrate, but not completely embraced. There may be egg hunts, but those are usually activities for children. Children may get their picture taken with the Easter bunny, but the draw is not as intense as it is for Santa Claus, nor will the resulting photo be included in Easter cards that are sent out as holiday greetings.

Theologically, you can’t have Easter without Christmas. However, Jesus being born into the world was not the saving action; His Passion, Death, and Resurrection are what healed the relationship between God and humanity. Mother Church in her wisdom celebrates Easter for 50 days, which is much longer than the Christmas season. For those who attend Mass every Sunday, the Gospel is getting rather repetitive. For three weeks now we have heard the Resurrected Jesus appearing on that first day of the week. For those hoping this upcoming Sunday’s Gospel will be different, you’re only half correct. While the Gospel is not another aspect of Jesus appearing to His disciples, it is Good Shepherd Sunday. The second line is, “A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) Being in the Easter season, it causes us to recall the Holy Triduum we celebrated just a few weeks ago. 

So why is Easter so important? Each year we are called to prepare during Lent for Easter. And each Easter season, we are called to renew our Baptismal promises. We hear again and again about the disciples seeing Jesus in His resurrected form. Each of these is an opportunity to renew our belief in and relationship with Jesus. If we believe that Jesus is who He said He is, the Son of God, then we can’t be satisfied with a wishy-washy faith. He can’t just be a nice man who told people to be nice to other people and had wise things to say. Belief in Jesus calls us to action; we are to be doers of the Word, not just hearers of the Word. At the same time, we can’t just run off on our own and think we know what Jesus wants us to do. We are all called with different gifts and skill sets. In order to act upon His Word, we need a relationship with Jesus, one we pursue as if our lives depended on it — because our everlasting lives do. 

Many think that Easter is long past, having been celebrated last month, and it is no longer relevant.  This couldn’t be further from the truth. Each Mass is both a mini Christmas and a mini Easter, celebrating Jesus coming in flesh and blood — hidden within the bread and wine — and recalls the Words from the Last Supper, the memory of His death and His resurrection. And every time we participate in Mass, we have the opportunity to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus and to give thanks to God for His amazingly generous love and mercy. 

In our ever-changing world, let us not lose sight of who Jesus is for us and pursue a relationship with Him, both in the Easter season and beyond. 

Deep roots

Happy Passover! No, I haven’t switched religions, but I did attend a seder meal hosted by a local catholic church the day prior to Holy Thursday. While I’ve read a number of books, especially by Dr. Scott Hahn, that dive into the connections between Passover and Mass, I was still surprised that the experience would affect me during the Triduum services. 

I would highly recommend for all Catholics to attend a seder meal at least once in their life if they are ever given the opportunity. Whether it be through a friend or family that is hosting it, or a parish church like the one I attended, as long as you have an English translation of what is being said, you will see the Mass emerge from the celebration. Participation; everyone is called to participate in the meal. While there are responses or actions for specific attendees — like the leader, the mother, and the younger children — many responses are spoken as the gathered community. The seder is a commemoration of the Passover meal the Israelites ate prior to their release from Egyptian slavery. As such, the beginning portion is spent teaching on the importance of remembering this event and thanking God for the deliverance. The Mass is a commemoration of the Last Supper that Jesus shared with His disciples, which happened to be a Passover meal. Having an understanding of the Passover meal, which the seder illustrates, allows Catholics to better appreciate and understand the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

While I do enjoy a small glass of wine with my meal from time to time, hearing that there are four glasses within the seder was a bit intimidating. I can usually make one glass last from appetizer through dessert, so as others were pouring the wine into my glass I appreciated their respect of pouring tiny amounts in my cup. One of the traditions is not pouring your own wine, but allowing others to pour it for you. The first cup, the cup of Blessing, is the first action after the general instructions of why the meal is celebrated. The second cup, the cup of Memory, is specifically aimed at the salvation God procured for the Israelites from their enslavers. One of the points the priest who led the seder meal pointed out was the wording in so many of the prayers, “Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe…” is similar to the prayer that is said over the bread and the wine after the gifts are presented at Mass, “Blessed are you Lord, God of all creation..” It seemed like each time there was a prayer, it began that way, and I felt I was waiting in anticipation for the events of the Last Supper.

Communion wafers are unleavened bread made from flour and water, and are a close cousin to the matzo that is served at the Passover meal. When the moment arrived for the breaking of the matzo and then consuming it, I thought, “This is it! This is when the Eurcharist was instituted!” And I was only half correct. One half of the Liturgy of the Eurcharist was established at that point in the meal. Poignantly, a portion of the bitter herbs are then eaten, followed by a mixture of both the bitter herbs and the matzo, or bread. Then commences the main meal. For this seder, it was more of a pot luck, so I don’t think a traditional seder would serve fried chicken and macaroni salad, but I did appreciate having a selection of foods from which to choose.

If you thought I’ve forgotten about the other glasses of wine, I have not. It was after the main meal was finished, we had the third cup, the cup of Redemption. I thought it was odd to have a glass of wine after a meal, but since I had food in my stomach and a short ride home, I figured another small glass would not be an issue. Oddly enough, the juxtaposition didn’t sink in until I was at Mass on Holy Thursday and as the priest raised the chalice to consecrate the wine, he said, “…when supper was ended…” YES! It was THIS particular point that Jesus instituted His Precious Blood, creating a New Covenant with not just His disciples present, but with all those who would share in this experience when they, and their successors, would do the same, “… in memory of Me.” This cup of redemption is the Blood that Jesus poured out during His Passion and Death on the Cross. 

In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus remarks immediately after blessing and sharing the third cup, that He will not partake of the wine again until He partakes it in the new kingdom of God. It seems odd that Jesus would skip the fourth cup completely during a meal He wanted to share with his Apostles. But the fourth cup is the Cup of Hope and Freedom. And Jesus does drink it again, while on the cross in His final moments, those leading up to His death, which conquers all death and opens the gates of heaven again. The Passover meal didn’t end in the upper room, but rather concluded with the death of Jesus. But Jesus didn’t stay dead. Rather he rose again to show that He is the Lord of all creation and has brought healing and freedom to those who follow His way. 

For me, the best preparation for celebrating Easter has been to celebrate the Passover meal. It provided a perspective of the deep roots and traditions of the faith that have been handed down for thousands of years. The Mass has become more meaningful because of this experience. I’m sure if I am able to attend another seder in the future, it would help me unpack even more riches of the faith and I pray that we all have an opportunity to explore what a seder meal can offer our faith.

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Gift of presence

It goes back all the way to the beginning, just after Jesus’ resurrection. The disciples, who walked with Him all the way to Emmaus, only recognized Jesus when He blessed and broke the bread. Jesus is truly present at every Mass and in every consecrated host: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

It’s been many years since I first received Holy Communion, and I remember the songs that we were taught for that Mass, but I really don’t recall much of that day or the experience. However, I do recall the first time I chose to go to the adoration chapel at St. Isaac’s when I lived in Pennsylvania. It seemed like the longest 15 minutes of my life. I didn’t know what to do?! Sitting in silence with people I didn’t know felt very awkward to me. It’s different when one goes to Mass, as we can participate in the responses, so even if you don’t know anyone, you know what you are to say and when to say it. But at that first adoration visit, I really didn’t know or understand what adoration meant. 

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is when a consecrated host is reserved and displayed for prayer and worship. Usually this includes quiet time for individual reflection, but may also include community prayers and/or Scripture readings. The eucharistic host is displayed in a monstrance, usually a gilt-covered stand that resembles a sunburst, with the host being at the center. When the host is being placed in or removed from the vessel, the typical posture is to kneel. However, after reverencing the eucharist with a genuflect or deep bow, it is acceptable to sit, especially for those with medical conditions that prohibit their ability to kneel for any length of time. 

Like many things in life, the best way to learn what to do in adoration is to experience it and practice it. Attending to Jesus in adoration is answering the call He made to the Apostles in the garden of Gethsemane. And there are some people, who like those first Apostles, fall asleep in His presence. I’m not sure if they just feel so relaxed and at peace that they fall asleep or they are just not ready for the silence. I compare it to lifting weights; you can’t start out at 500 pounds, but rather with 5 pounds (or 5 minutes of adoration) until you feel stronger to take on more. Sometimes we do need to push our limits a bit and challenge ourselves to more, but always within reason and being aware of our limitations. The goal would be to work up to spend an hour in adoration.

Adoration is a time to talk to God, specifically Jesus — one to one — no matter how many people are there. Sometimes, and especially as we practice, praying a rosary, a litany, a chaplet, or some other set of prepared prayers is all that we can handle. These prayers are a great way to get the communication flowing, even for the most experienced attendees. There are so many prayers out there that if you wanted to pray them all, I’m not sure you would be able to pray them all in a day! Unless those in adoration are praying together in a community, all prayers should be said in silence. I remember feeling very embarrassed when I went to an adoration chapel in Italy because the door made such a horrendous noise when being open, especially in comparison to the silence in the chapel (you could hear a person turning a page to their prayer book!). I think the locals were used to it, as everyone was able to keep their focus on the eucharist. 

Jesus understands our human needs. By instituting the eucharist at the last supper, He left a way to nourish us spiritually, by receiving Him, but also to spend time with Him in adoration. He is physically there and we can see the host; our eyes have the ability to focus our attention on Him. And while it can be easier to say an Our Father or a Glory Be, we can also pour out our hearts to Jesus. As we become more comfortable in His presence, we can be open to how He chooses to speak to us, either at adoration, or any other moment of the day. Spending time in His presence is like spending time with family or friends; we share ourselves and are attentive to what they share with us. It’s also an opportunity for us to reflect, to think about the ways God works in our life, the blessings He brings, and where we need His aid. 

Jesus gives us the gift of Himself, present in the eucharist. Can you spare a few moments to spend time with Him?

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Every day should be Sunday

It started as an innocent remark by a colleague on a conference call. “Every day is Monday; until the afternoon on Friday.” Just hearing that sounded like a depressing outlook on life!

Working in an office setting, it’s not uncommon on a Tuesday to hear another mention that day being their “Monday,” when they had Monday off. Typically it’s used to explain why that person is just catching up after being out a day, and most Mondays seem to be a bit slow to get into the swing of office work. Likewise if time off is planned for a Friday, the person may express their jubilance on Thursday by remarking that the day is their “Friday,” indicating the end of their workweek. The general consensus is that Monday is a dreaded day while Friday signals that the two weekend days that can be spent in a manner of personal choosing are eight or less hours away. I know there are people who so look forward to the weekend, that the five days in between is a grind and an annoyance; something to be tolerated but never celebrated.

Growing up, I observed my father, after coming home from work, saying how much he was looking forward to retiring. I felt that if I was going to spend so much time doing something to make money in order to live, I wanted to want to do it. It was one of the big reasons I pursued a college education. While I can’t say that I have a dream job or that it doesn’t seem like work, I’m not totally miserable either. It challenges me and keeps me thinking, and there are many aspects that I do enjoy. Yes, there are times when I have a “case of the Mondays,” but most times I’m wishing folks a happy (whatever-day-it-is), even a “Happy Monday.”

Looking at the days of the week from a spiritual perspective, however, everyday should be like Sunday. As Catholics, we are a resurrection people; we believe that Jesus rose from the dead and He will raise us up at the end of time. To remember and celebrate, we keep Sunday as our day of worship. We are obligated to attend and participate at Mass; for without the resurrection, there would be no Mass. By receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we are partaking in time and space what we will fully experience once we are reunited with our bodies at the end of time. Sunday is not a day for us to do whatever we want, but rather a day designated to pursue a relationship with God, strengthen our relationships with each other and prepare ourselves for our spiritual future, not our earthly future, which is quickly fading away. 

While Mass attendance is required on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, many churches do offer weekday Masses, and some even offer Mass every day — that is truly making every day a Sunday! However, for those who would like to attend Mass and cannot because of schedule conflicts or lack of availability, taking the time to read the Mass readings of the day and praying a Spiritual Communion prayer is the next best thing. While this cannot fully replace Mass attendance, it is an opportunity to open yourself to God and His will. 

Any day can be filled with drudgery, work, and activities that we would rather not be doing. Labeling all those days “Monday” is setting oneself up for misery. But if we offer the work we are doing to God and spend time each day seeking a relationship with Him and to do His will, our weeks will be all full of “Sundays.”

God hug

I don’t believe in coincidence. From my perspective, anything that someone would consider a coincidence is God making His presence known.

Last Friday was the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and one of the churches in my area provided the opportunity for a two hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as a way to mark this holy day. Since it started at 5 PM, I did need to log off of work early in order to make my way over to the church. Even the normal weekly Wednesday Adoration, which they have for an hour and starts at 6 PM, can be a struggle for me to get to on-time based on how work is going. It also has a portion that is private prayer followed by communal evening vespers. At times I miss having a whole silent hour before the Blessed Sacrament like when I lived in Pennsylvania, so the possibility of visiting Jesus in the Sacrament for at least a whole hour in private meditation made me very excited. I felt lucky that there were no last minute surprises at work and was able to power down and arrive at the church for the beginning of Adoration. The seminarian assigned to the parish often leads Adoration and for special occasions prepares handouts that we follow for vespers. As he is also a trained cantor, he took the opportunity to make this Adoration special by chanting the entire vespers (in English) followed by the Litany of the Sacred Heart (in Latin). It seemed like joy was just pouring out of me, I was so delighted to spend the time with Jesus and then sing His praises. It was like heaven on earth for those moments. 

As extraordinary as that experience was, it was what happened on the ride home that really made me feel even closer to Jesus. Driving from that direction, there are a set of train tracks I need to pass over to get to my home. I cross them often enough to get to church, the post office, taking Vera to the vet, etc. This time, as I was going over and experiencing the normal vibrations that crossing over these tracks produce, I caught a flicker of movement from some prayer cards I have tucked in the car’s visor. I put my hand up to prevent anything from falling, but regardless one of the cards did, landing on my chest. As I was very close to my home, I picked it up and held it, so that it would not fall further and get trampled underfoot or forgotten. I have a few cards tucked there and they have never moved, no matter how many times I’ve crossed those tracks so I was surprised that this happened. After navigating through my development and parking, I took a look at the card I was holding. It was one I had forgotten was there, since I had placed other cards in front of it. The card? It was from the Sacred Heart of Jesus Auto League. This card specifically had the words “Sacred Heart,” the one and the same reason I was just at Adoration to celebrate and praise, and landed on my chest near to my heart. No, I refuse to call that a coincidence. That was a hug from God. (If you want to call it a God Wink, that works too.) 

If I perceived what happened as just a coincidence, that allows me to brush it off as an oddity that is unimportant. But I think God communicates to us all the time, and we, myself included, can be deaf to the language He uses or we make excuses so that we can think we are in control of everything. Why did it have to happen then? Why was it that particular prayer card that fell? Why did it land on my chest instead of fluttering to the floor or my lap? There are many other outcomes that could have happened, but God chose that one. For some it may be too subtle to equate to being from the hand of God, yet for me, it was more like a bonk on the head with a foam mallet — gentle enough not to hurt, but too obvious for me to ignore. 

So take a moment and reflect: how has God communicated with you today? Are you looking to dialog with Him? Do you ask for the wisdom to understand His communication? Is your heart and soul open to what God is saying to you? Sometimes He may be guiding you or comforting you. Sometimes He just wants to say “hello” or even “I love you.” But unless we are on the lookout for His communication, we may miss the unique and little ways that God is using to interact with us. 

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”   

Matthew 6:33

A heart like no other

June is a very special month. During it, for over 300 years, Catholics have been celebrating a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. While the Mass for the feast occurs 19 days after Pentecost (this Friday), the whole month of June is dedicated to the contemplation and adoration of a mystery as deep as the Love that God is. 

There have been numerous saints who were devoted to the Sacred Heart, but it was St. Margaret Mary Alacoque that received the unenviable task of promulgating it throughout the Church. According to Catholic Online, “A group of theologians declared her visions delusions and suggested she eat better.“ From the humble beginnings in the French community of St. Margaret Mary, it took almost 200 years for the feast to be extended to the universal Church. However, the revelations St. Margaret Mary received included one of the most iconic images of Jesus today: with a heart surrounded by the crown of thorns, with flames of love and a cross just above it. 

A human heart? God wants us to look upon Jesus’ humanity in the most critical muscle of the body — the heart that pumps life-giving blood throughout all of one’s being. It is central to the Love Jesus wants to lavish on mankind. Christ loves us so much, the heart just isn’t beating, it’s on fire! The Sacred Heart of Jesus burns for you! He reminds us that He died for us on the cross, and it is through the sufferings of our daily crosses that we can deepen our relationship with Him. Love is not a solitary thing. As intimate as the Sacred Heart is to us, we are reminded of the sins of humanity, including ours, that surround the heart with piercing thorns. For all those who reject Jesus, deny Him, and turn against Him, His Heart suffers and is constricted by those who offend His Love. 

Jesus desires a devotion to His Sacred Heart so that those who answer the call can draw closer to Him, enjoying the blessings and consolations that only He can give. He has made many different promises depending on how the faithful honor His Will. There are special blessings for those that display and honor the image of His Sacred Heart within their homes. Other blessings are for those that promote adoration, devotion, and enthronement within a household. Jesus also promised special graces to those who attend Mass on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months. These promises are not meant to be a “purchase” or “bargaining” plan, but rather they are set forth to underscore just how powerful Jesus’ love is for us. By uniting ourselves with Jesus’ Sacred Heart and inviting Him to live within us, we welcome His transformative Love to change us more to His image and likeness.  

God has called us to be holy as He is Holy, but we cannot do so by our own merits. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior and reestablish humanity’s relationship with the Divine. Jesus has provided the Sacraments and the Church as the vehicles we can use to initiate and develop that relationship. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus allows us to dive into a deeper intimacy, connecting the Sacrament of the Eucharist with the Divine Mercy through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection. As St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” May we take time this month to contemplate, praise, adore, and pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and offer our hearts to Him. 

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Reality and mystery

This Sunday is the Feast of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, commonly known by its Latin name, Corpus Christi. I have seen a number of stories in recent years about the decline among Catholics believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the consecrated Eucharistic host and wine. It is a central precept of our belief that serves for our benefit… if we can be open to the mystery that it is. 

Everyday, in churches all around the world, simple rounds of bread and wine (mixed with water) are transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus during the Eucharist prayer of the Mass. It has become commonplace enough that we don’t really think of it as a miracle, yet that is exactly what it is. It illustrates the power and love of God to take ordinary, man-made products and sanctify them to the point that it may look and taste like bread and wine, but no longer is. It has become Jesus. It is a mystery and a miracle! Instead of seeing it for the miracle it is, humanity considers it a miracle when the bread and wine are physically transformed into flesh and blood, which the Church has recognized over 100 times throughout the centuries. Some of these miracles have been preserved, which itself can be a miracle, especially as years turn into decades and even centuries. 

The Mass prepares us to receive Jesus in the most intimate way. Yet it is not just something that happens to us, but rather something we participate in. We pray in response to the priest, as well as in communion with all in the congregation. We are the Church, assembling together, praying in unison and consuming  the Body of Jesus, the One Body, in what we call Holy Communion. It is indeed holy, as only God could sanctify the unity of such diverse people. Mass may be at a particular time and place, but in and through the reception of Holy Communion we are joined to all those who have already received, are receiving, and ever will receive the miracle that is the Body of Christ. 

While Mass is the most common encounter with the Eucharist, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another option Catholics have to worship God through this miracle. I remember my first attempt at adoration; I lasted about 10 minutes. How does one just sit in silence? Especially in this noisy world that is always seeking to gain our attention, the ability to just focus on the presence of Jesus (as a consecrated host) displayed in a monstrance is a practice one needs to build up. Depending on the church or chapel hosting adoration, the surroundings can grab one’s attention more than Jesus. Why would God choose to hide Himself in such a simple thing? It’s one of the questions worth pondering in adoration. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter how hectic and frazzled I am when I go to adoration, while I’m there, even if I am pouring out all my troubles to Him, I feel a sense of peace and serenity that is hard to explain. I wish all parishes would offer regular adoration opportunities, as it does provide a different experience in relating to Jesus and may even help strengthen the faith and respect parishioners have when receiving Holy Communion.

Bread and wine have been around almost as long as civilization. They are a physical reality we can see, smell, touch, and taste. Yet God has chosen these to be vessels of Himself so that we may receive Him. It is a mystery that we can never truly comprehend with our limited faculties. The Eucharist reality is a mystery for all time and in all generations. It may only be when we meet Jesus at the moment of our death that we realize just how important every Mass, every adoration, and every reception of the Holy Sacrament has meant to our spiritual lives. Let us pray especially during this feast that all Catholics realize, appreciate, and return to believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 

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Destination: Mass

At a recent Mass I attended, they took a page out of the Superbowl playbook and gave a play-by-play explanation of the Mass. But I must admit that it was the first thing they said that got my brain pondering.

The Mass with commentary, as it was referenced, didn’t take much longer than a normal Mass, and consisted of a short, high-level overview of what was going to happen and why, followed by that portion of the Mass. The commentary was only inserted about five or six times, and gave a general explanation; no deep theology was presented, but enough to remind those who know and encourage those who don’t know to go deeper. 

The commentary began before Mass started, introducing what was happening and explaining the first portion of the Mass. The first action for Mass begins before the Mass itself, what I would consider the gathering of the congregation. However, the way it was phrased was, “You’ve arrived.” I’m sure that choice of words was used purposefully, but it was these words that made me think. If they had used the same terminology of “gathering,” I probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Using the phrasing that is common to those who use navigational aids to get them to their destination really caught my attention, and if I may admit, made me giggle.

Attending Mass should be our destination, the way we start off our week being nourished by the Word of God. Mass isn’t a checklist item of something we’ve accomplished, but a participation in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Arriving at a location indicates that we are present to what is happening and our focus is on the experience unfolding. The commentary was a great way to call attention to the different parts of the Mass and to be engaged with them, to be present and participatory and not to drift off into indifference just waiting for the end to come. I’ve seen and heard many jokes about how many times Catholics sit, stand, or kneel in one Mass, yet these position changes can help us pay attention and focus on our relationship with Jesus through the various parts. 

The Mass is the closest we can get to heaven while on earth. We receive instruction from the Word of God in the Liturgy of the Word. And the summit of it all is the Eurcharist: the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus made present for us to receive in a simple, yet transformed, piece of unleavened bread. It is through the Eurcharist that we nourish our souls via this physical encounter with Jesus. Being replenished in this manner, we are then called to go forth into the world and share what we’ve received: the time, talent, love, and mercy of Jesus bestowed upon us. 

It is important to be “here and now” when attending Mass. To do this, make every effort to be aware of each portion of the Mass and its importance in your relationship with God. The more we approach Mass as a weekly destination on earth, the more prepared we will be for our final destination: heaven.

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Mass worship

I came across a meditation suggesting to ponder “God requires Catholic Christians to assist at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.” I think what caught my eye was the word assist.

I was surprised by the use of assist rather than attend. Is there any difference between the two? When looking up these words in Merriam-Webster, the results of both their meanings and their roots were a bit unexpected. For me, assist is more of an action word; ready to spring into action when the lead needs support, which is one of the two definitions for the word. I would consider those that perform a specific liturgical function, like an altar server, choir member, and lector would be classified as assisting at Mass, but not the general congregation. Oddly enough, the second definition is, “to be present as a spectator,” which is a far cry from the attitude the Church is calling us to bring to Mass. The etymology of assist has a root which means “to be present near, stand near.“ This is a good definition for our actions at Mass, as we do stand near the presence of Jesus hidden in the mystery of the Eucharist. 

Attend would be the word I would choose for those who do not have a specific functional activity at a Mass. Usually I will say, “I need to go to Mass on Sunday morning,” which is one of the definitions of attend. Out of the several definitions for the word, I think I like “to be present with : accompany” as the one that most closely indicates what we do at Mass. We accompany the priest as he dives into the mystery of Jesus in both word and sacrament. Yet the root for the word means “to stretch.” While at first I thought how odd it was that the meaning has changed so much through the centuries, but perhaps originally, one was stretching themselves or their capabilities in order to be present to another person. In some ways, we too, stretch ourselves in order to go to Mass. 

Since words matter, I cracked open the Catechism of the Catholic Church to see how it conveyed the requirement for Mass and found this gem:

Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people,” have a right and an obligation by reason of their Baptism.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1141

This describes way more than attending and assisting at Mass. This is a call to worship God with “all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mk 12:30) It also includes that we have not only an obligation, but our Baptism provides us the right in that full participation. For a country that loves its rights, this spiritual right is far more rewarding than any secular one. Once we are baptized, no one can take that right from us; it is only when we turn away from God that we forgo that right. God is always calling us back to communion with Him, ready to bestow His mercy to those who repent and turn towards Him. 

I may go to Mass, but I do choose to participate in the responses and singing. While it’s hard not to slip into Mass being a routine activity that we check off on our list of requirements, we are given the opportunity each week to bring our full selves to God. Our beauty and our flaws we present to God, as well as our attention and distractions. While coming and sitting in a pew for Mass may be a first step for some, it is not the level of participation to which we are called. Perhaps the next Mass we attend, we can try to go a bit deeper in giving worship, that is our full selves, to the Triune God who created us to be more than we ourselves could ever imagine.

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Caterpillar or butterfly?

All around us in nature are reflections of God’s handiwork, as well examples of spiritual truths. This past week’s Gospel of Jesus’ transformation on Mount Tabor calls to mind the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The question becomes: are you a content caterpillar or a future butterfly?

The purpose of a caterpillar is to eat. It’s eating so that its body can go through metamorphosis. I think for many of us who are on a spiritual journey, we are hungry and just eat. We know we need to be fed, but may not be careful about what we are eating. We may forget that eating has a purpose, that we are not supposed to stay caterpillars forever. Yet we sojourners may become content caterpillars, just “eating” our way through life. We may absorb the information about God, but never find ways to put it into action.

During the spiritual journey, if at some point a person realizes that something needs to change in them, they become a potential future butterfly. The person who recognizes that all the “eating” they’ve done as a caterpillar means that they can’t remain the way they are, then they are ready for the cocoon. In some ways, we can consider Lent a type of spiritual cocoon, as we look deep into ourselves and focus on our relationship with God. It can be a time of darkness when we realize with stark realization how much we’ve strayed from what God had planned for us. In that cocoon, as we open ourselves up to God’s grace, we may be a bit surprised that God doesn’t put us back together the way we were, but truly makes us a new creation. As a caterpillar in a cocoon digests its cells so that it can make new ones, so we too, in our spiritual journey, allow all that we have learned to be put into action as we become a spiritual butterfly. 

The Catholic faith is not an intellectual pursuit, it’s not a club to join. A Catholic Church is not a place to be entertained or a place to go once a week “because we have to.” The Catholic faith is one of action: as our thoughts and words are channeled into action; we become God’s hands and feet in the world. When we worship God and acknowledge that we need to be spiritually fed by Him, we choose to attend Church Masses and events to be filled by God’s Word and Sacraments. We also volunteer to fill others by participating in outreach programs. We are not called to be content caterpillars, but rather to transform and become spiritual butterflies, spreading the love of God by our actions.