Messages from the Mass
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HOW DO WE TREAT THE MESSENGER?
Let’s not be too hasty in defining who is “the wick- ed one” and who (namely us) is just! We are very quick to label others as evil, because we tend to label ourselves as good guys. We don’t like it when we are brought up short by a prophetic voice that brings us some bad news about our own behavior. We don’t like to be reproached for transgressions of the law or charged with violations of our training.
We may condemn and abuse those who bring us up against these truths about ourselves when, if we were really good, we would thank them for helping to keep us on the right path. This is the way they treated the prophets and the way they treated Jesus. Is this also the way we treat those whose message we don’t like?
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How long have there been parochial schools in the United States? Longer than you may imagine. The Jesu- it fathers opened Saint Mary School in Philadelphia in 1782 in the first light of independence. Catholic and Protestant squabbles about the nature of education forced the Fathers to make this risky and innovative ven- ture in the heart of the city. The school was closed by a devastating fire in 1902, but reopened in 1968 as St. Mary Interparochial School, the first example of a shared parochial school. It is also the only Catholic school with- in the confines of a national park. This is the “Mother School” of this uniquely American institution. Many paro- chial schools, especially in “national parishes,” were es- tablished to preserve the culture and language of the “old country,” and also to protect young people from prejudice.
In other countries, Ireland for one, the Church is authorized to run national schools, sometimes under the sponsorship of a parish. In still other places, such as Quebec, publicly-funded “separate schools” were ad- ministered by the Church. Wherever the state funds Catholic schools, normally enrollment is guaranteed to all applicants. The Quebec system was dismantled in 1998 when the state decided to reorganize schools along linguistic lines rather than religious affiliation. Pa- rochial schools require considerable sacrifice, but they endure as a distinctive treasure of the Church in the United States.
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God's Presence
A Prayer to the SpiritRealize above all that you are in God's presence ... empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the grace of God, like a chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing but what its mother gives it. - St. Romuald
A Prayer to the Holy SpiritSpirit of Jesus, poured out in flames of fire upon your disciples on the day of Pentecost, we pray to you.
Set afire the hearts of your faithful so that they will announce in all the languages of the world the wonders of the salvation of God.
Holy Spirit, who sent Christ Jesus
to carry the Good News to the poor,
We pray to you: Help us to contiinue your work
by serving the poor, our brothers and sisters
The Gifts of the Holy SpiritWisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge,
Fortitude, Piety, Fear of the Lord
Walk With Us LordWalk with us, Lord,
Along the road of resurrection!
Explain for us, so slow to believe,
the things that Scripture says of you.
Break the bread of the Eucharist with us
whenever we share our lives
with our brothers and sisters.
Stay with us
each time night approaches
and the daylight fades in our hearts!
Come to us, Spirit of HolinessHoly Spirit,
You banish fear from our hearts;
You bear witness in us that we are children of God;
We pray to you;
Remove from our hearts the spirit of slaves;
Place in us the spirit of adopted children to make us cry out, "A bba, Father!"
Jesus Gives Us the Gift of Himself
When we go to Mass, we are doing what Jesus commanded his followers to do. It is a command to love and to be loved by God. Jesus offers himself to us in the Word of God that we hear, and in his Real Presence, offered to us in the Blessed Sacrament at Communion.
People Need Our Prayers
When we go to Mass, we speak to God through out singing, our communal responses and prayer, and our personal prayers from the depths of our hearts. During the Mass, we have the opportunity to ask God for what we need, promise that we will do what He wants us to do, and thank Him for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us.
The Gift of GraceYou are What You Eat
The gift of grace increases as the struggles increase. - St. Rose of Lima
The effect of receiving the body and blood of Christ is to change us into what we receive. - Pope Saint Leo the Great
CharityCharity is that with which no one is lost, and without which no one is saved.- St. Robert Bellarmine
Holy Spirit, Guide Us Today.Holy Spirit, you who pointed out the way for your disciples to announce the Gospel, we pray to you: "As in the time of the apostles, guide today's messengers of the Good News."
God Asks Us to Make One Day Holy.God asks us to set aside one day to refocus physically, mentally, and spiritually. We live in a secular world. Going to Mass helps us to see everything from a different perspective. We begin to see in the depths of our being that God is in charge. We can let go of our own agenda because we know that God will inspire us, guide us and strengthen us for the week ahead.
What the Mass Tells Us.When we listen to the readings, the homily, and the prayers at Mass, God speaks to us in a special way. We should come away from each Mass with at least one inspiration that will impact our lives in some way. We just have to pay attention and be open to what the Lord is trying to tell us.
Praying During Mass.We can pray for other people anytime, but when we pray for others during Mass, we pray in a special way. It doesn't matter if the other people are separated from us by distance or by death. The Mass brings us together in the Body of Christ, and we become the communion of saints. It is part of the cosmic dimension of the Mass that unites heaven and earth by reaching across time and space.