Catholic Church Behavior Update for the Eucharistic Year!
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February 9, 2024Over forty years ago, a Protestant pastor pointed out to me the great silence in Catholic Churches before and after Mass. Personally, I still remember when you could hear a pin drop before, during, and after the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This protestant pastor remarked how impressed he was that we visibly show our belief in the Real Presence of Christ on the altar before, during, and after Mass. I wonder what he would say today in most Catholic Churches.
A Catholic Church is a place of prayer. The atmosphere should always be reverent and sacred. When the faithful enter the church, they genuflect on the right knee (if possible) before the tabernacle where the Lord is really present. The sanctuary lamp is always burning as a sign of this. When I was a boy, my pastor taught us to say the prayer: “My Jesus, I adore Thee, here present in the Blessed Sacrament.” Some simply say: “Jesus I adore Thee!” or a similar prayer. After taking a seat we should continue our prayer to the Eucharistic Christ. This is best served by not carrying on conversations, laughing etc. In its official liturgical documents, the Church points this out to us. We should also genuflect as we leave the church.
Also, to fully benefit from the Mass I should attend the entire Mass from start to finish, neither coming late nor leaving early. During Mass we repent of our sins, listen to the Word of God, offer ourselves up to the Father through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit with the bread and wine, and adore Christ when He becomes present at the Consecration. The renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross under the appearances of bread and wine gives us the graces needed to take up the Cross and follow Him all our days. The Mass strengthens us to be heroic Christians. We should look at the elevated host, striking our hearts saying silently “My Lord and My God!”
In Holy Communion we receive the Lord: body, blood, soul, and divinity. After Holy Communion we need to pray to the Lord repenting of our sins, adoring Him, asking for favors, and thanking Him for all the graces we have received.
Unless absolutely necessary I should not leave Mass early. The Eucharistic Christ remains for about 20 minutes in us, so this is a special time of communion with Him. Holy Communion is not like a medicine that works automatically. We need to commune with the Lord the best we can. Then we are ready for what is asked of us. “Adoremus in aeternum sanctissimum sacramentum! We adore the Most Blessed Sacrament now and into our eternity.”
Yours in the Most Precious Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Fr. Mark G. Mazza, pastor
