St. Ann's Catholic Church

The Mass
The Mass is the summit of our spiritual life.  It unites us as a community of believers who gather to remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Preparation is important for a successful day at work, at school, or even at the gym.  The same holds true for Mass.

Here are simple things you can do to prepare for Mass.  They aren't difficult or time-consuming.  But they are guaranteed to help you enter more deeply into the celebration of the Mass and achieve a more intimate union with Christ and the other members of the worshiping community.  

1.  Know why you are there.

    You come to Mass not as a spectator but as a participant.  You join with other members of the parish community in prayer, worship, thanksgiving and communion.  You are an important part of the Body of Christ.

  Take a few minutes each week to think about your place in the Body of Christ.  It will help you  recognize the unique gifts and talents that you were given.  It will give you a deeper appreciation of the other people in your parish community.

3.  Think about your offering.

  When you come to Mass, you bring everything that you are to the altar as an offering to the Lord . 

  What joys will you share?  What sorrow would you like to unburden?  How have you used the gifts that you have been given?  What anxieties or tensions are troubling you?

  Think also about the state of your soul.  Are you ready to give yourself to God entirely?  Are you holding anything back, carrying any anger or resentments?   Do you need to forgive someone or seek the forgiveness of  someone you hurt? 

It is also a good idea to think about what you want to ask God.  Is there something or someone that you want to pray for?  Do you need guidance in some area of your life?  For what are you grateful?

5. Enter into God's Presence.

  Spend some time in silence before Mass begins.  Quiet your mind.  Let go of any tensions or anxieties that you brought with you.

  Allow your soul to yearn for the Lord.  Ask God to fill all of the empty places inside you.

  Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you in the readings, the music, the  homily, the prayers of the Mass and your Communion meditation. 

  Everything that you think and do in these final moments before Mass instills in you a joyful anticipation for your encounter with the LORD.

2.  Reflect on the readings

Set aside a few minutes on a specific day each week to read the First Reading, the Psalm,  the Second Reading, and the Gospel for the following weekend.  What is the Lord saying to you in these readings?  Is there something that you are being asked to do?  Is the Lord leading you in a new direction?

As you become accustomed to reviewing the readings ahead of time, you will begin to look forward to going to Mass.  During the mass you will have a deeper awareness of how the introductory prayers tie into the theme of the readings.

4. See yourself as part of the community.

 Your experience of the mass begins the moment you arrive at  church.  Plan to get there a little early.

  Outside of the church, smile and speak to the other people who are arriving, keeping in mind that  everyone in the parish community is part of the Body of Christ.

A friendly hello makes everyone feel wanted and welcome.

  As you enter the church, bless yourself with holy water.  Making the Sign of the Cross with holy water is a reminder of your baptism, which made you a part of the Body of Christ.

Be sure to genuflect or bow before entering your pew.  We do this as an act of reverence and an acknowledgement of God's Presence.

 "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him."

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 Preparation leads to Participation

Here are some ways that you can participate more fully in the Mass:

*  Research the Mass:  its history, its substance, and its meaning.

*  Think about what you are saying as you recite the prayers of the Mass.

*  Be enthusiastic as you speak the words of the responses.

*  Sing with your WHOLE HEART and SOUL.

* Pay close attention to the homily.

*  Offer to bring the gifts up to the altar.

*  Allow yourself to feel a sense of awe during the Consecration.

*  Realize that you are receiving the Real Presence of Jesus during Communion.

*Spend a few moments before you leave church in silent mediation and prayer, thinking about what you experienced.  Did you experience God's presence?

At the end of the Mass, we are sent into the world to love and serve the Lord and one another.

 The Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the bible, copyright 1965 and 1966 by the Division of Christian Eduation of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.