When you attend Mass, is your heart in it, or do you just go through the motions? Do you think
about the words being spoken, the songs being sung, the prayers being said, or is your mind
somewhere else?
I know that these are some harsh questions, but if you are going to be honest with God then you
have to be honest with yourself, and sometimes that means stopping to take a look at your way
of thinking. I know that I have spoken to cradle Catholics and converts, and have ask them
this very question, and I must say that I appreciate their honesty. Some have informed me that
a lot of times they are thinking about a bill that is due, what are they going to have for
dinner, I even had one tell me that they have actually fallen asleep during the service, which
I find hard to believe with all the standing, kneeling and sitting. But have you ever really
given a hard, long thought to the the meaning of the Mass, to what is actually going on?
For me participating in the Mass is very emotional, and I always make it a point to leave all
of the outside world, and the worries in the car when I get there. The Mass is my time to
spend with the Lord, to worship, and admire Him, everything else can wait. I view each prayer
as my conversation time with the Lord, I view all of the singing as my time to praise Him, I
view the message the Father gives as God's instructions for my life journey, and I view
partaking in the Eucharist as my time to fully embrace the love that my Lord has for me, to
take Him in completely body and soul.
I have even became so ingrained in the Mass that when it gets to the prayer, Father I am not
worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed,
I find tears streaming down my face, because I truly understand all that He went through for me
and to know that He has that power to forgive me is truly amazing. And when I walk up and
receive His body and blood I see that as a protective shield for me, when I take Him in I feel
that He is protecting me body and soul and it gives me such a warmth that I have never
experienced in any other way. It is then that I can say that I truly have experienced the full
love of God.
The next time that you attend Mass start by leaving all your concerns in the car, go in
expecting to filled with God's love, really listen to the word's of the songs, the prayers and
the homilies, don't just go through the motions, really take God in, and you will be surprised
at the great love that you will feel.
I admit that I do get distracted sometimes...like "did I remember to turn the curling iron off?" or something like that, but really most of the time I am pretty into it. I love it because it is familiar and comforting and just a whole different world than a charasmatic Baptist preacher standing in front of you shouting for an hour and a half. What struck me is praying the Lord's Prayer and actually LISTENING to it for the first time. That part when we say "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" really hits me...am I forgiving people like Jesus forgives me? Can I expect grace from God when I am holding onto sin? It is impossible.
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