Mass

At first glance the Mass is simply a ceremony directed to God in which four fundamental actions are observed: the Lord is praised and thanked, forgiveness is sought from him, and certain benefits are requested. There are also moments in the Mass where some teachings are transmitted. In a deeper and more exact sense the Mass is the renewal of the sacrifice of the cross.

We are not gods but creatures, and therefore we have obligations toward the Creator. The main ones are to praise him, give him thanks, and ask his forgiveness. To this is added how much we need to implore his help. And all this is done at Mass.

Of course. One can and should praise and give thanks to God at all times, ask for his gifts and forgiveness. Mass adds a special way of doing so: through a sacrifice.

One can love with words and with deeds and with a greater or lesser effort. Sacrifices are the offering to God of some effort; they include a costly generosity and therefore are a good way to show love. At least it shows that one loves God more than oneself, since one demands of oneself out of love for Him.

Better will be the sacrifice that stands out in the generosity of the offering, the holiness of the one who presents it, and the intention with which it is performed. At Mass, our Lord Jesus Christ offers himself, giving his life for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity. Therefore it is by far the best sacrifice.

Yes. Without doubt. Men can only present to God human works, while the Mass is a divine action, performed by the Son of God himself.

The priest lends his voice and hands to Christ, but it is Jesus himself who offers himself, renewing the sacrifice of the cross. For example, the priest does not say "this is the chalice of the blood of Christ," but "this is the chalice of my blood." In those moments it is Jesus himself who acts through the priest.

We have already commented that creatures have obligations toward the Creator. Among them, the third commandment of the law of God orders the sanctification of holy days.

Holy days can be sanctified in many ways, and the Church could have ordered another way of doing so. It has chosen the one that pleases God most and benefits men most. The early Christians already did it this way.

Because the Church so ordained, supported by several motives:

• Praising God and sanctifying holy days is a serious matter. Duties toward the Creator are of the highest standing and no one can reduce them to minor matters.
• The Christian who misses Mass usually ends up losing faith, and this is a serious matter.
• If it were only a minor fault, many people would not attend, would not sanctify holy days in any other way, and would sooner forget God. Consequences not to be dismissed. The Church does not wish us to sin; if it commands under mortal sin, it is to warn us of the importance of the matter and to guard our faith.
• The early Christians risked their lives to attend Mass. This gives us an idea of the gravity of the matter.

Going to Mass out of obligation is a valid motive, since in life it is normal to do what is fitting even when feelings do not cooperate. However, it is good to foster the desire to love and praise God by doing what pleases him most, the Mass.

The divine command to dedicate to the Lord one day a week is both individual and social. Individual, since each one is responsible for fulfilling it. Social, because it orders the sanctification of holy days, and holy days are those that the people of God celebrate. Jews on Saturday, Christians on Sunday. To these are added other dates independent of the day of the week, such as Christmas. It is then a matter of attending Mass on the feast days of the People of God. Naturally, the good Christian endeavors to attend Mass every day, not only on Sundays.

Pray. Offer together with Christ the sacrifices of each day. Try to accompany Jesus in his self-giving by performing with Him the four fundamental actions we have discussed: praise and give thanks to God, implore benefits and forgiveness.

Each person will seek the way that helps them most. For example:

• At the beginning of Mass one can foster repentance, the desire to purify the soul to attend more worthily the holy sacrifice of Mass. This can be done when praying "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault"; and when saying "Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy."
• At the reading of the gospel it is possible to memorize a phrase to then repeat or meditate on it during that day.
• At the presentation of the bread and wine, while it is said "by this bread, fruit of the earth and of the work of men..." one can add interiorly the sufferings, the work, and the good works one wishes to offer to God together with the sacrifice of Christ.
• A good moment for adoring God is to repeat attentively "Holy, Holy, Holy," joining the praises of the angels.
• At the consecration, while the priest elevates the Body of Christ one can say interiorly "My Lord and my God" (the act of faith of the apostle Thomas). And one can ask God for an increase of faith, hope, charity, chastity, joy, peace, and other virtues one wishes to acquire.
• When the priest kneels, one can pray: "I devoutly adore thee, hidden God," according to a hymn of Saint Thomas Aquinas. And since the Lord has just arrived, it will be good to say to him: "Welcome to the Altar" or other kind phrases.
• As the moment of communion approaches, some spiritual communions can be repeated interiorly, fostering the desire to receive the Lord better.
• After receiving communion will be the best moment to speak with God interiorly, thanking him much for having deigned to come to our soul.