The mass. Such an intricate celebration, a joyful mystery, Heaven on Earth; yet something many of us Catholics (me included) take for granted as just part of the routine that makes up the structure of our earthly lives before our eternal one.
I've grown up as a "cradle Catholic," and for most of my life the mass has been just something I thought we did because it was the thing to do on Sundays. I even so much as calculated that the mass happened to be the same time as two full Spongebob episodes, so if I could sit through that, then the mass should be a piece of cake! But, as most do, I got older and realized more so the true importance of the mass. Over the years, I've learned many facts about the mass, but it took me a long time to learn what it meant to experience the mass.
This is by no means me saying I know am perfectly in tune with the mass every time I sit in a church pew, because I definitely have my faults, and recently my heart has been in so many places that I've let myself be distracted during mass. And sure enough, our never-failing God sent me a huge wake up call, basically saying Ali, it's not enough to recognize that you're having a problem letting other worries take you away from the mass, it's time to act.
This past Sunday at mass, we had a deacon visiting from Steubenville, Ohio, Deacon Ralph Poyo. This man had a beautiful gift of speaking to large crowds, and he had the whole congregation captivated during his homily. Though he had us all prepare ourselves and "get comfortable" for his long homily, throughout it all, he was calling us to become uncomfortable, to make the decision to refuse to let the mass be just another "punch in our Catholic punch card," but to be something that we enter into and allow God to speak to us through.
He then used a beautiful analogy of the mass being like marriage. I know we're teenagers, but think about the future for a second and what you would picture a sacramental marriage to be like if it's what God calls you to. How many of you would want to be in a sacramental marriage with someone who didn't want to be in it with you? To come home and say "honey I love you" and not hear it in return, or to come to the dinner table when the spouse just doesn't want to. God doesn't want that here at the altar! He wants us to want to come to Him, to His altar. The Church, Christ's bride, that's us! We can't be stuck in an off again, on again relationship in the mass. We're called to a commitment, to give our hearts fully to our God.
A year ago, by the graces of Confirmation, the Lord called me to become a Eucharistic Minister (which I highly suggest to any of you to prayerfully consider of you've received Confirmation). This past Sunday, I happened to be ministering the Blood at the back of my church. One of the things I love about serving is seeing the joy the Eucharist brings to so many people. As we know, we don't always have to receive the Blood which is perfectly alright, and this one particular lady happened to walk by me with her son who wasn't of age for Communion. As soon as they were passing by me, I hear the little boy, tugging his mom's hand and saying, "Get the drink, mommy! Get the drink!" It definitely made me smile, but it didn't hit me until later that that boy was showing me how our Father wants all of us approach communion and the mass. He wants us all to be filled with such joy and excitement at the opportunity we are presented with to fully encounter Christ, not only for ourselves but to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same.
I can't promise it will be easy, relationships never are, but prayer doesn't help our relationship with God, it IS our relationship with Him! The mass is the highest form of prayer, so it is a perfect way to deepen your relationship with God. Developing a strong relationship with Him through the mass will be something you have to work for, but it will be worth it infinite times over. Open your heart to a full commitment, allowing your heart, in whatever state it's in, to be transformed by God's living presence in the Eucharist at mass.
"The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17
Thanks and God bless,
Ali
Prayer requests, comments, or just need to talk? Reach me at alimartinez11@gmail.com!
No comments:
Post a Comment