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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

9A

What are your earliest memories of being at Mass? Who first brought you to Mass?

How did you first learn about the Mass? What were the most important things you learnt.

What’s the most inspiring celebration of Mass you have been to? Why was it so special?

What other ideas or questions strike you from this part of the film?

 

9B

Which parts of the Mass do you find most meaningful? Why do they speak to you in a special way?

How do you prepare for Mass or give thanks afterwards? What could help you deepen your love for the Mass?

What are the benefits of being together as a community for Mass each week? What could help you be more involved in your parish community?

What other ideas or questions strike you from this part of the film?

 

KEY IDEAS FROM THE FILM

What do we really believe about the Mass as Catholics? There is too much to put into words, but here are a few highlights.

We believe that Jesus is speaking to us through the bible readings and through the homily. It’s not just noise. There is a word or a message that is meant for me, to help me in my life. It is not always easy to hear, but how well am I listening? I need to catch it, to go fishing, to wade into the water and cast my line. I can’t just sit on the riverbank watching the fish go by.

We believe that Jesus is present with us at Mass, through his Word, through the ministry of the priest, through the faith of the Christian community, and above all when the bread and wine are changed into his Body and Blood, at the miracle of transubstantiation. This is not just a symbol. He is truly here, in his humanity and divinity. We meet him face to face, heart to heart. He is there for the whole community and because he wants to be with each one of us personally.

We believe that we are united with the Sacrifice of the Cross, as it is re-presented here in the Sacrifice of the Mass and offered to the Father. This is why there is always a crucifix on the altar, or nearby, to remind us of the reality of the Sacrifice. Our lives are united with the offering that Jesus makes, and our prayer becomes incredibly powerful, infinitely powerful. St John Damascene says that “the Eucharist is a fire which inflames us”.

We believe that Jesus feeds us with Holy Communion. His Body and Blood are spiritual food. The Catechism teaches that “in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself” (CCC 1324). So when we receive Holy Communion with a sincere faith, Jesus gives us all the graces that we need to help us in our lives.

And we believe that Jesus sends us out at the end of Mass, not just to go back to normal, but to change the world. Our love, our kindness, and our prayer is meant to change people’s lives. We are missionary disciples, and we are given this spiritual food at Mass not just for ourselves but because we have work to do. Mother Teresa said that the only way she was able to go out and serve the poor each day was because of the strength that came to her from the Mass and from Eucharistic Adoration.

We believe all of this about the Mass because of the teaching of Jesus, the teaching of the Church, and because of the experience of the saints.

What can we do to help us deepen our love for the Mass, and pray with more devotion when we are there at Mass? Here are a few tips.

We can come! Simple. If we haven’t been coming to Mass very regularly, we can renew our commitment to Sunday Mass. We put Jesus at the centre of our week, and this small commitment – it’s just an hour each week – will bring us many graces, and keep us close to him through the rest of the week.

We can learn about the Mass. Find some good reading, or a good Catholic website or YouTube channel or podcast. A catechism, a prayer book, the lives of the saints. Anything that will nourish and inspire us in our faith. We need to grow. And if we are not growing we are probably, without realising it, going backwards.

We can pray when we are at Mass. I know this may sound obvious, but it’s amazing how often we can be at Mass without actually praying. We are there on autopilot, or distracted by our own thoughts or by the people around us. We are hardly conscious of God’s presence. We are there physically, but our minds and hearts are not really present. We can try harder to try to pray during Mass, to concentrate and put our focus on God. We can really listen to the readings and the prayers, speaking them in our own hearts and making them our own. The Mass is a communal event, but it is meant to be personal too.

And when we visit a Catholic church, even if it is not for Mass, we can spend time praying before the tabernacle, in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. This is a great gift in itself, to worship him and spend time with him. It is also a way of deepening our love for the Mass, because it makes us appreciate the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and makes us long to join his Sacrifice and be united with him in Holy Communion when we are next at Mass. Eucharistic Adoration always points us towards the Mass.