<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span></span></div><div><h3 class="post-title entry-title">Mass 101: It's Jesus and It's Really that
Simple </h3>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center; clear: both;" class="separator"><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/services/presents.opk/after.jesus/images/hi_res/last_supper.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="cursor: move;" title="The First Mass" border="0" src="http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/services/presents.opk/after.jesus/images/hi_res/last_supper.jpg" width="500" height="351"></a></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left; clear: both;" class="separator">As we
get ready to enter into the Easter Triduum, I want to pause and ask, "How should
we act at Mass?" This question is not for priests and I'm not going to discuss
how they should say the Holy Mass. That's not my place. I think Pope Benedict
XVI has got that covered.</div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;"><a style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; float: right;" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5wFpigefFEA/TRVHZtvULlI/AAAAAAAACgc/6skynq9vNOM/s1600/DSCN4827.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a>Rather, I'm interested in how we the laity should
approach both internally and externally the Sacred liturgy. This question is
even more important to me because I have children. Children change everything.
Ignorance might be bliss for a solitary life, but when you have souls you have
been entrusted to lead to heaven, ignorance might become your judgment. So,
right now I am trying to teach them how to act in Mass. That can be a tough
thing, especially when they are young, but in the process of trying to teach
them it has actually become clear how <i style="font-weight: bold;">easy it
is</i>.</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left; clear: both;" class="separator">It's <b>Jesus</b> and it's really that simple.</div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center; clear: both;" class="separator"><span style="font-size: large;" class="Apple-style-span">The Mass 101</span>:</div>
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<li>We cross ourselves with Holy Water reminding ourselves of our Baptism
into <b>Christ</b>
<li>We genuflect to <b>Christ</b> reminding ourselves that He's there
<li>We pray to <b>Christ</b> to ready ourselves for the sacred mystery
<li>We stand as the priest <i>in persona <b>Christi</b> </i>processes into the
church
<li>We repent and ask <b>Christ</b> for mercy on us for we are sinners
<li>We enter into the mystery of salvation history in the Old Testament and the
Psalms which point forward to <b>Christ</b>
<li>We listen to a New Testament reading that points backward to <b>Christ</b>
<li>We stand at the reading of the Gospel: The Words of <b>Christ</b> </li></ul>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">And then...</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">Like at the Last Supper, drawn into the very mystery of
the God-Man, we wait to hear what the Holy One will say. We have been at meals
before and know what <i>might </i>come next. However, everything is different
this time. The God who with His Word created the Universe and set into motion
the galaxies, the same God who with His Word entered time and space as a <a href="http://www.almostnotcatholic.com/2011/03/holy-blastula-meditation-on.html"><font color="#722600">Holy
Blastula</font></a> in the womb of the Virgin, turned water to wine, stopped the raging
storm, and walked on water--<b>took bread in His sacred hands</b>.</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">And then we are left speechless when He
says...</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">"This<b> is</b> My Body"</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">"This <b>is </b>My Blood"</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">And it is at this moment that I bend down and whisper
into my son's ear, "That's Jesus. The entire universe is focused on this one
moment."</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">How should we act in Mass? I think it's really that
simple.</div></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">May your Holy Easter Triduum be filled with awe and
wonder.</div></div></div></div><div> </div><div><div><div><font color="#0000bf"><i><font face="comic sans ms"><div><em><font color="#0000bf" face="Comic Sans MS">Like a deer that longs for running waters so my soul longs for you, O God.</font></em></div></font></i></font></div><div><font color="#0000bf"><i><font face="comic sans ms">Ps 42:1</font></i></font></div><div><i><font color="#0000bf" size="1" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></i> </div><div><i><font color="#0000bf" size="1" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></i> </div></div></div></div></body></html>