The Meaning of the Mass
As a writer and ministry consultant I have spent some time with Christians of different denominations. I have always been blessed to see the deeply authentic faith of believers in Jesus, their prayerful and unwavering zeal to reach the lost, and the enthusiasm and unbridled joy they express in their worship. However, I have always been left a little saddened over the way many non-Catholics and Catholics alike view the Mass as a series of man-made rituals that are barely more than a step above superstition or false belief.
Over the past five years or so, I have developed a more profound appreciation for the Mass and its power to draw us up to the heavenly places, while carrying us back to the moment where humanity finds redemption at the cross. It has awakened in me a growing passion to help Catholics and all who profess faith in Christ to come to a deeper awareness of these sacred mysteries and our connection to them. There is a majesty to the liturgy that speaks to my heart like a song, coaxing the words to fall to the page as I share its beauty with everyone with ears to hear.
The Ordinary Played Out on Heaven’s Stage
For those who miss the mark about what the Mass truly is, there is usually one of two responses: aggravated indifference or ceremonial reverence. In a strange way, both are connected in that they come from a place of longing and a position of need. All of us hunger for something to fill the God-sized hole in our hearts. Some challenge the Almighty to impress or entertain them and then withdraw when the Savior turns them down. Others go through the motions of the Mass, happy in that comfortable, safe, sacred space they have always known but unaware of the depths of experience that could be theirs. If only these ordinary believers would step into the realms of grace that God poured out upon the world when he put on skin and gave up his life for the sake of his people. There is so much waiting for those who are willing to participate in the heavenly joy that unfolds before us every time the Church celebrates the Mass.
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