Preparing Ourselves for Mass

I love to golf! I fell in love with the game when I started caddying at age 12. My favorite golfer is Jack Nicklaus, who won an astonishing 18 Majors, more than any other golfer in history. In his prime, Nicklaus had the best golf swing in the game. He said that your setup is 90% of the swing. In other words, your stance and grip had a bigger impact on your golf shot than how you swung the club.

Why do I bring this up? Because I think the same is true for the Mass. How we prepare ourselves for Mass will have at least a 90% impact on what we get out of the Mass. So I would like to give a few tips on how to prepare yourself for Mass so you'll get more out of it.

Tip # 1: Plan to Arrive 10 Minutes Early

How often do we find ourselves rushing out the door trying to get to Mass just before the music starts? More often than not, we fail because we don't account for traffic, finding a parking spot or the time it takes to get all the kids into the car. I'm the youngest of 7 boys. I know what it's like!  

Walking into church feeling flustered from all the commotion is not the best way to enter into the celebration of the Mass. Your mind is most likely distracted and it takes time to regain your focus. As a result, you might not pay full attention to the readings and your mind might wander during the homily. All of this leads to a poor experience of the Mass.

Here's a suggestion: don't plan to arrive when Mass starts. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early. Give yourself time to settle into your pew. Take a few minutes to clear your mind and help your kids prepare themselves for Mass. That way, when Mass starts, you're ready to participate fully.

Tip #2: Read the Readings Ahead of Time

Before I go see a movie, I like to read a synopsis of what the movie is about. Just as I know some people insist on reading the book before seeing its movie. We want to know what we're in for and what we should be looking for during the show. I find it makes the experience more enjoyable. The same is true for the Mass! Take a few minutes to skim the readings before Mass. (You can easily access the readings on USCCB.org, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.) See if you can spot the theme for the readings. Did you know that the First Reading and the Gospel are specifically chosen to go together? Each week there's a specific point or set of points that the readings are meant to draw out. Knowing the readings ahead of time will give you a sense of where the homily might be going. And, more importantly, you'll start thinking about what the readings are saying to you!

Tip #3: Think About What You Bring to Mass

The Mass is an act of worship, which means we begin by acknowledging our sins and asking God for his healing love and mercy. Then we give glory to God for all the blessings we have received in our lives, especially those we've received the past week. And, because we are a community, we pray for each other's needs and intentions. So it's good to spend time thinking about what we are bringing to Mass each week as it relates to these three areas.  

First, I bring where have I struggled in my relationships with God, family, friends, co-workers or classmates and other people around me. These are the sins I want to acknowledge during the Penitential Rite as I ask for God's forgiveness and the grace to do better as I move into a new week. 

Second, what were the blessed moments of this past week? Did something go particularly well at work or at school? Did I have a wonderful conversation or experience with a family member or a friend? Did I make a spectacular play during a game or make a breakthrough during a meeting? These are things I want to thank God for at Mass. 

Third, from my conversations and interactions this past week, who do I know that is struggling or going through a hard time? These are the people I want to be praying for during the Mass.  

When you know what you are bringing into the Mass, you're going to get a lot more out of it. And when you take the time to prepare yourself for the Mass, you're going to enjoy it a lot more.

God Bless,