| Do You Attend or Assist at Mass? |
A True Call To Action
Over the course of the past year many Catholic individuals and groups who have
been calling for change in the Church have suggested the idea of the faithful
refraining from attending Mass. Their intention is to show the Church they want
change by dropping attendance, which in turn will hurt the Church financially.
I must echo this call. I too ask all Catholics to stop attending Mass. It is my dream
that every Catholic in the world would no longer attend Mass. However, my reason
for this lofty dream is far removed from the ideology of those now calling for
change. The universal Catechism states that the first precept of the Church is that,
"the faithful should attend mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation." I know
what this statement means. However, if one specific word is changed there could
be a world of difference. The Baltimore Catechism states essentially the same
thing except that the word "attend" is replaced with the word "assist".
What's The Difference
There is a world of difference between the words attend and assist. When I attend
events I look on patiently waiting to be entertained in some fashion. When I assist I
provide a service to others. I can attend concerts, sporting events, graduation
ceremonies, and movie previews. I can assist at food banks, homeless shelters,
hospitals, and charity events. I would never think of attending a food bank nor
would I consider assisting at a concert unless I was a musician.
How then can I stop attending Mass and begin assisting? First, I must prepare
myself to celebrate this sacred mystery. This preparation involves turning away
from sin. Most priests make themselves available for confession on Saturday
afternoons for 45 minutes to one hour — with minimal participation. Have I become
more holy or have I been blinded to my own sinfulness that I don’t take more
advantage of this opportunity. In order to assist at Mass I must cleanse myself
inside and out so that I may present myself as the spotless bride, the Church, to
Christ.
Second, assisting at Mass involves more than merely hearing the Word of God.
Great musicians and athletes do not participate in their respective events without
preparation. They prepare so that they might fully participate in the event. I too
should prepare for Mass by arriving early to pray and read through the readings.
This familiarity frees my mind to delve deeper into what Christ is saying to me. In
order to assist at Mass I must be spiritually prepared to fully participate by
studying and reading the scriptures and the order of the Mass.
Bring Your Gift To the Altar
Finally, assisting at Mass means more than warming a bench. The Mass is a
sacrifice of praise and I must bring a gift or many gifts to be sacrificed on the altar.
I must bring my family, friends, work, joys, sorrows, sufferings, worries, and
dreams and lay them before God on the altar. My sacrifices are represented in a
small way by the gift of money, bread, and wine. However, as the gifts are being
brought forward to the altar my heart should be bringing my entire life before the
Lord. As the gifts are handed to the priest I should be handing him spiritually all that
I am — good and bad. In order to assist at Mass I must make a conscious,
spiritual, emotional, physical gift of myself to God. In return for my full participation
God will give me nothing less than Himself.
Contrary to popular opinion the Mass is not a spectator sport. It is not for quotas or
to fill pews. The Mass and the Church will continue until the end of time regardless
of the number of people in the pews. We are not benchwarmers. We are a chosen
people. We are priests, prophets, and kings destined to proclaim the death of the
Lord Jesus until He comes in glory.
The Mass is my opportunity to stand at the foot of the Cross, say I am sorry, and
unite myself fully to Jesus, His sufferings, and His Church. I plead with all Catholics
to stop attending Mass. I ask every Catholic in the world to resolve to never attend
Mass again! Let us however start assisting at Mass. Let us get so involved in the
Mass that we truly see it for what it is, heaven on earth.
James M. Hahn is the Director of Religious Education at St. Michael Church in Worthington, Ohio. He is the
founder of Real Life Rosary and the author of Rosary Meditations for Real Life available at www.
realliferosary.com. James lives in Southeast Ohio with his wife and three children. He can be contacted at
webmaster@realliferosary.com.
Over the course of the past year many Catholic individuals and groups who have
been calling for change in the Church have suggested the idea of the faithful
refraining from attending Mass. Their intention is to show the Church they want
change by dropping attendance, which in turn will hurt the Church financially.
I must echo this call. I too ask all Catholics to stop attending Mass. It is my dream
that every Catholic in the world would no longer attend Mass. However, my reason
for this lofty dream is far removed from the ideology of those now calling for
change. The universal Catechism states that the first precept of the Church is that,
"the faithful should attend mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation." I know
what this statement means. However, if one specific word is changed there could
be a world of difference. The Baltimore Catechism states essentially the same
thing except that the word "attend" is replaced with the word "assist".
What's The Difference
There is a world of difference between the words attend and assist. When I attend
events I look on patiently waiting to be entertained in some fashion. When I assist I
provide a service to others. I can attend concerts, sporting events, graduation
ceremonies, and movie previews. I can assist at food banks, homeless shelters,
hospitals, and charity events. I would never think of attending a food bank nor
would I consider assisting at a concert unless I was a musician.
How then can I stop attending Mass and begin assisting? First, I must prepare
myself to celebrate this sacred mystery. This preparation involves turning away
from sin. Most priests make themselves available for confession on Saturday
afternoons for 45 minutes to one hour — with minimal participation. Have I become
more holy or have I been blinded to my own sinfulness that I don’t take more
advantage of this opportunity. In order to assist at Mass I must cleanse myself
inside and out so that I may present myself as the spotless bride, the Church, to
Christ.
Second, assisting at Mass involves more than merely hearing the Word of God.
Great musicians and athletes do not participate in their respective events without
preparation. They prepare so that they might fully participate in the event. I too
should prepare for Mass by arriving early to pray and read through the readings.
This familiarity frees my mind to delve deeper into what Christ is saying to me. In
order to assist at Mass I must be spiritually prepared to fully participate by
studying and reading the scriptures and the order of the Mass.
Bring Your Gift To the Altar
Finally, assisting at Mass means more than warming a bench. The Mass is a
sacrifice of praise and I must bring a gift or many gifts to be sacrificed on the altar.
I must bring my family, friends, work, joys, sorrows, sufferings, worries, and
dreams and lay them before God on the altar. My sacrifices are represented in a
small way by the gift of money, bread, and wine. However, as the gifts are being
brought forward to the altar my heart should be bringing my entire life before the
Lord. As the gifts are handed to the priest I should be handing him spiritually all that
I am — good and bad. In order to assist at Mass I must make a conscious,
spiritual, emotional, physical gift of myself to God. In return for my full participation
God will give me nothing less than Himself.
Contrary to popular opinion the Mass is not a spectator sport. It is not for quotas or
to fill pews. The Mass and the Church will continue until the end of time regardless
of the number of people in the pews. We are not benchwarmers. We are a chosen
people. We are priests, prophets, and kings destined to proclaim the death of the
Lord Jesus until He comes in glory.
The Mass is my opportunity to stand at the foot of the Cross, say I am sorry, and
unite myself fully to Jesus, His sufferings, and His Church. I plead with all Catholics
to stop attending Mass. I ask every Catholic in the world to resolve to never attend
Mass again! Let us however start assisting at Mass. Let us get so involved in the
Mass that we truly see it for what it is, heaven on earth.
James M. Hahn is the Director of Religious Education at St. Michael Church in Worthington, Ohio. He is the
founder of Real Life Rosary and the author of Rosary Meditations for Real Life available at www.
realliferosary.com. James lives in Southeast Ohio with his wife and three children. He can be contacted at
webmaster@realliferosary.com.