The Mass and Holy Eucharist
*****Read Lessons 26-28 in the St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism Book #2 ****
This sacrament infuses into the soul great interior peace, a strong inclination to virtue, and great willingness to practice it, thus rendering it easy to walk in the path of perfection.
St. Alphonsus Liguori
In this week’s sacramental learning we are going to be more in line with the Family Faith Formation topic. For the Confirmation students the topic is about the Mass and specifically the importance of devoted attendance to Sunday Mass. If you want a more detailed lesson about the Holy Eucharist please refer to Session 12 The Eucharist and for the Mass refer to Session 15 A Walk Through the Mass. These were lessons we taught part of the 2020-21 Family Faith Formation with our parish.
Why do we go to Mass?
- To worship God
- To be nourished with God’s word in the readings
- To receive God’s grace
When you go to Mass you are worshipping God and you are joining the angels and saints in Heaven in their praise and worship of God. Try to envision that picture in your mind: the angels and saints around Jesus and the altar during the consecration. What a magnificent image!
Missing Mass on Sunday without a serious reason, is turning one’s back on God’s greatest gift to us.
The Family Faith Formation Sacramental Learning session opened with a question then followed up with a some videos from Father Mike Schmitz of Ascension Press. We began with answering the question: Do I have to go to Mass? about the importance of attending Mass.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105
Many frequently say “I don’t get anything out of the Mass” and use this as a reason to stop attending Church in general. Some may even begin to say “I’ve lost my burning faith” and begin to feel they are not able to rekindle that zeal at Mass so they decide to give up and stop coming to Mass altogether.
Watch Ascension Presents Father Mike Schmitz: Motivation to go to Catholic Mass
As you can imagine there are many other reasons people can give for their choice to quit coming to Mass. Humans have a tendency to put all the effort on God for our faith. It is God that has to be the ever gracious and persistent host making sure our comfort and needs as a guest are met with constant reassurance. This is not how our relationship with God works. God gave us freedom to love and we frequently forget how that beautiful gift applies to our faith.
In the Old Testament Abraham is the classic example of faith. Abraham goes through a tormenting experience of uncertainty. Guided by God we see in the scripture a message to all who wrestle with the problem of fidelity, faith, and trust in a future. The way is to persevere, hope, and faithfully pray “I believed, even when I said ‘I am greatly afflicted’ ” (Psalm 116)
In the New Testament the Blessed Virgin Mary is the model of faith.
The one thing God cannot do is force our belief in Him. We must have faith freely in Him. (Free Will) Young people frequently have problems with their faith. In their process of maturation they question all values, including religion. It is not until they find themselves that they can begin to understand. Adults on the other hand encounter more obscure situations when it comes to their faith. Pragmatism tends to be the heavier focus in many adult lives leaving little room for faith. How can we keep values like love and faith alive even when we are tempted by obscurity, confusion, and doubt?
Some of the answers can be found in prayerful reading of the Bible, finding consistent daily prayer, and regularly attending Sunday Mass.
Parents model this attitude more than they think and Teens can be difficult to shepherd. Author Jessica Ptomey has written a very good article about how parents can effectively pass on the faith to our children. You can read it at Catholic Mom: Models and Moderators: Parenting to Pass on the Faith.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
At Sunday’s Mass (February 25, 2024) Father Bork was discussing Faith and referred to the scripture above. Digging deeper we found something worthy of reading. Read: Prayer is the Light of the Soul A reading from the homilies of St John Chrysostom (Hom 6 on Prayer) from the Holy See website of the Vatican.
What are our ideas on how to revitalize motivation to go to Sunday Mass?
Our answer is simple: attend Mass at a different parish.
We travel frequently and find ourselves attending Mass where ever we find ourselves to be on Sunday morning. What we have learned after 24 years of traveling as a family is that each church has its special personality. The Mass is the same but each parish has a different way of offering the Mass. From the way the Procession is done to how the Psalms are sung or even not sung. If traveling out of town is not possible then try one across town. If that is not possible attend Mass at your own parish at a different time. The point is to look for a Mass that can be a new experience for your family. Too often we get set in our routines of Mass from where we sit to how we proceed. Routines can put us in a state where we are not seeing as clearly as we should. A little change might inspire you.
Assignment:
Who was St. John Chrysostom?
Watch the video Altaration with Fr. Mike Schmitz to see some of the up close actions we observe during the Mass.
Adults special assignment: Watch Fr. Chris explain why The Mass, Explained is the most powerful prayer on earth. Read Basic Texts for the Roman Catholic Eucharist the Eucharistic Prayer I (EP 1 Column)
There is an app available that may be an option for those who have a need to try a different approach with their children. The Mass Explained app is a multimedia learning experience focusing on the Catholic Mass and can be a useful tool for families.
Book suggestions for children:
The King of the Golden City: An Allegory for Children by Mother Mary Loyola
Tomie dePaola’s The Miracles of Jesus, the chapter about the Loaves and Fishes
The Weight of a Mass, by Josephine Nobisso
Book suggestions for teens and adults:
7 Secrets of the Eucharist by Vinny Flynn
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper by Dr. Brant Pitre. (I’d like to note that this book is used in the Arlington Diocese in the Diaconate Formation program.)
** Family Faith Formation February 20, 2024 sacramental learning session: The Mass**
[The pamphlet resources used in this lesson are our own that we have collected over the years and found to be a helpful supplement this session. ]
The Small Pencil Catechist 