About The Mass

Dear Friends,

It is now more than 4 weeks since public masses have been suspended and many are asking for how long?  Some of you have written to me personally inquiring when the Bishop will let us have Mass. But why do we miss Mass so badly?  What is it about it?  Isn't your life going on just fine without it?  

Is it the fellowship you have cultivated over the years with others who go to 'your mass'?  Has coming to Mass become part of your weekly routine?  Is it because your family and parents did this so you continue the tradition? or Is it because of the sermons?  Why do you 'miss' Mass really?  What is the reason? 

We might as well 'miss' mass for all the above reasons, but they are not reason enough for the celebration of the Eucharist.  There is 'more' to the Mass. In fact, the best reply I have heard so far as to why we miss Mass has been:  I cannot explain why, but I need to be there.  There is something about Mass that 'fills me up'.

The hunger and thirst for Mass (the Eucharist) is from the 'outside and inside'.  Saint Augustine summarized this saying, "our heart is restless until it rests in you", meaning, God himself has placed the hunger and thirst for him in our hearts.  It is Him and His action that will 'fill us up', complete us and give meaning and purpose.  We find our perfection the more we find God and the meaning and practice of His Word in our lives.

Jesus at the Last Supper says:  'Do this in remembrance of me'. Whenever we participate in Mass we find our bearing and hope to go forward.  At Mass, Jesus is truly present, we do not repeat some past beautiful ritual, No! He is in our midst and we need God!

The more we are fully part of Mass, we find in God: stability, grounded-ness, nourishment, and peace, but also often disquiet, questioning, a need for forgiveness and conversion. Every time we gather, we know, albeit silently, who we are, our need for God and others, the grace of gratitude and the challenge to live for more than ourselves.  In all this, the Spirit of God is at work in our hearts. 

My hope is that when all is settled, we will all come together again to celebrate with joy, gratitude and reverence our God who unceasingly avails himself to us in the simple signs of Bread and Wine transformed.  God is always our truest companion for Life.

The following are videos that will enrich and deepen your knowledge about the Mass.  
Let us prepare and be ready. 

Fr. Anthony



SELECT HERE for the other episodes of the Elements of the Mass.





 

The Order of the Mass:
Explaination of each element of the Mass

SELECT HERE for the individual short videos of each element of the Mass. 



EXPLORE MORE by reading "Why stay away?" booklet by Bishop Barron.