How to pray (at) Mass?

1. How to pray (at) Mass? A look at the spiritual significance of the Mass

2. Introduction • You must have attended Mass thousands of times. But still if I ask you: • what is Mass? • What happens when you take part in Mass? • What do you get out of mass? What are its spiritual benefits? • These questions; I don’t know how many of us can answer!

3. St. John Maria Vianney • "If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy." 

4. St. Padre Pio • "If we only knew how God regards this Sacrifice, we would risk our lives to be present at a single Mass."

5. Yes! Dear brothers and sisters, Mass is such an important thing for our Christian life that Vatican II document on liturgy calls it as “The source and summit of Christian life” Therefore it is important to understand the spiritual significance of the mass

6. Different names for Mass • The unfathomable richness of this sacrament is expressed in different names which evoke its various aspects. • The most common names are: • the Eucharist, • Holy Mass, • the Lord’s Supper, • the Breaking of the Bread, • the Eucharistic Celebration,

7. the Memorial of the passion, death and Resurrection of the Lord, • the Holy Sacrifice, • the Holy and Divine Liturgy, • the Sacred Mysteries, • the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, • and Holy Communion. • What we are going to do now is to look at the mass as a whole and see its spiritual significance

8. What is Mass or Eucharist? • Definition: • The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus • which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory. • Thus he entrusted to his Church this memorial of his death and Resurrection.

9. What is mass? • It is a sign of unity, • a bond of charity, • a paschal banquet, • in which Christ is consumed, • the mind and heart is filled with grace, • and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

10. Under three topic • Mass as a Sacrifice • Mass as meal • Mass as Communion

11. Mass is a Sacrifice • The Mass makes present the sacrifice of the Cross • it does not add to that sacrifice nor does it multiply it • But it makes it present to us

12. It’s important to know what the Church means by the "sacrifice" of the Mass. • The term is easily misunderstood and has caused much strife among Christians.

13. “commemorative representation” • its “commemorative representation” (memorialis demonstratio), • which makes Christ's one, definitive redemptive sacrifice • always present in time.

14. Only one sacrifice • Church teaching reiterates what Scripture states very clearly: • there is no other sacrifice except the one offered by Jesus on Calvary. • Hebrews 10:12 says that Christ "offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins.

15. Re-presented • That sacrifice cannot be repeated. • The Mass, therefore, is not a repetition; • it is a re-presentation of that sacrifice.

16. Sacrifice beyond time and space • It is Christ who is God made man, • Made his one sacrifice of the cross • To be represented beyond time and space

17. Sacrifice beyond time and space • Because Christ was a unique human being, • the sacrifice He offered on the cross once and for all is a unique act.

18. As a human being • He lived in a particular place and time • His sacrifice was an act that took place in history • At a particular place • At a particular time • and is therefore past.

19. As a God • He is God, who is outside of time: past and future are always present to Him. • This means that His death and resurrection are eternal acts • that can be made present by the power of the Spirit.

20. At the last supper • That is what he did at the last Supper • He made that one sacrifice of the cross • To be present to believers of all times and all places

21. He made it a Sacrament • He made his death on the cross a sacrament at the last supper • He took the bread, said the blessing and said, • ‘Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body given up for you’

22. Later He took the cup and said the blessing and gave it to his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.

23. Asked us to continue • He also commanded them saying • Do this in memory of me. • Asking us to bring to memory his death all the time.

24. So, you need to understand that • Holy mass is not a repetition • But a representation of that one sacrifice • The sacrifice that was offered 2000 years ago • It is made present for you and me • Here and now

25. At foot of the Calvary • And Every time the mass is celebrated, • the priest , • together with the Christian community which takes part in it, • is led back in spirit to that place and that hour at Calvary

26. And When you participate in Mass • You along with the priest join the multitude of angels and saints in re-living that one sacrifice of Christ • And ask the Father for the forgiveness of your sins • At the foot of the cross

27. II. Mass is a meal • Holy mass is a Holy meal you attend • It is the Holy Banquet you are participating in • And meal is part and parcel of the sacrifice

28. In the Old Testament • In the old testament, after every sacrifice there was a meal. • Every holy gathering ended up with a meal • And Jesus offered the first mass as a part of the pass-over meal

29. Luke 22:15 • And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”

30. Pass-over meal • In the Old testament, Israelites ate the pass-over meal before the passed-over from bondage to freedom • It was the pass-over lamb that was sacrificed that they ate

31. Pass-over • And they sprinkled their house with the blood of the lamb • And the angel of death passed over them • And they were saved

32. Mass a pass-over meal • So also when we participate in the holy meal at mass • The angel of death passes over us

33. Covenantal meal • In the O T, God entered into covenant with Israel • And it was ratified by a meal • By that They became his specially chosen people

34. New covenant in Jesus • Referring to his blood Jesus said, “this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.” That means: • With his blood he established a new covenant

35. Renew our covenant • So every time we participate in the covenantal meal of Mass • We renew our promises to him • That we will be his people and his children always

36. Mass as a meal • So when we gather for Mass • We gather for a meal • And we are fed • And it is a spiritual nourishment that is given

37. Double nourishment • Sola scriptura people has to be envious of this because • At Mass we are fed double • We are fed with his WORD • And we are fed with his body and blood

38. Jesus’ teaching • Jesus speaking about spiritual nourishment • Spoke about two kinds of nourishment: • Spoke about two types of spiritual food

39. God’ word • Quoting Deuteronomy to the devil who came to tempt him He said, “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”(Dt 8:3) • God’s word is our food; our nourishment

40. Bible quotes • When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. Jeremiah 15/16 • Ezekiel 3:3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. • Revelation 10:9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey."

41. At Mass: Fed with the WORD • Word of God is our spiritual food • and we are fed with that food in the liturgy of the word • That is the first part of the Mass

42. 2. Body and blood of Christ • In the second part i.e. Liturgy of the Eucharist, • We are fed with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which again are our spiritual nourishment

43. John 6 • In St. John’s gospel in his discourse about Eucharist in 6:53 • Jesus says "Truly I tell you, unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you will have no life”

44. John 6 • And He is the bread from heaven • His flesh is the true food • If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. • This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

45. Jesus promised that he has come give life, life in abundance. Jn.10:10 How was he going to give life in abundance? By giving his body and blood as our food. How did he give us his body and blood then? He gave it in the form of bread and wine

46. Institution of the Eucharist • At the Last supper • He celebrated the first mass • Changed the bread and wine into his body and blood and gave it to his disciples to eat • And he asked them to continue doing this un till he comes

47. Eucharist today • So when we come for mass, • In the second part, i.e., the liturgy of the Eucharist we eat his body and drink his blood • So that we may have life

48. Complete food • So Mass provides complete nourishment for our souls • With all the proteins and vitamins, • Word and the sacrament • That is the richness of the Mass

49. Eat well • As we eat at least three times a day to keep our bodies healthy and fit • We need to eat this spiritual food to keep our souls healthy

50. III. Mass is a Holy Communion • What is the meaning of the “communion”? • Often we equate it with ‘sacred host’