About the Mass Series: Preparation for the Mass Part 1

ABOUT THE MASS VOL 1

About the Mass’ series will be posted once a week for over 12 months. You will find all future posts in this series in my 'Sacraments' category. I hope you will embark on this journey with me and follow the series.  'About the Mass' series will be divided into 8 sections namely:

1.  Introduction
2. Overview of the Mass.
3. Preparation for Mass
4. Introductory Rite
5. Liturgy of the Word
6. Liturgy of the Eucharist
7. Communion Rite
8. Concluding Rite.

 This week we commence the journey 'Preparation for the Mass. There will be 3 parts to Section 3.

PREPARATION FOR THE MASS PART 1

Preparation for any ‘event’ in our lives is necessary, whether it is research, preparing a draft for an essay, shopping for the family meals, vacuuming (or perhaps a spring clean) when friends have been invited for that special celebratory meal, and the list could go on.In all of these events and the many others that will occur to you, there is the common thread of anticipation, and also the importance it plays in our lives.

So how do we prepare for the great event in our week- The Mass?  We may need to review what place and how important The Mass is in our priority list in our week.

  

We can start to prepare for Sunday Mass from Sunday night.  Reflecting on the following Sunday’s Scriptures each day and seeing how it relates to our lives can be one way to recapture that sense of anticipation.

Then, we also need to prepare for Sunday Mass from the time we wake up.  Little steps like eating something special or different from our usual breakfast routine can help remind us that it is Sunday- the Lord’s Day- the day to celebrate the Resurrection. (I love to eat my raisin loaf toast on Sunday).

Then we need to get dressed.  Do we dress with the sense of the occasion of this spiritual event in mind on Sunday?

Of course, these little steps can be useful, but it also needs to be accompanied by prayerful spiritual anticipation.  We do really need to prepare our bodies, minds and hearts BEFORE we arrive at Sunday Mass.   After all, the Sabbath is sacred to the Lord.

How do YOU prepare for Mass on Sunday?