Pay Attention People

It took me a long time to love the celebration of the Eucharist, the mass.  I have understood it as one of my main objectives as a youth minister to get the youth to go to mass.  It's not easy and it is going to take time.  I know Christ will meet each youth when it is their time and I can't change that.  All I can do it encourage.

That being said, it is also a huge responsibility on the people who go to mass regularly to also encourage others to go to mass.  And when those people who are at mass daily are present they need to remember to NOT BE ROBOTS!!!

How many people after going to daily mass for however many years just make it routine?  I would argue too many.  I can see how easy it would be though.  The mass doesn't change much. When we go to mass we pretty much know what it going to happen. That is no excuse not to pay attention though and hear those beautiful words as if they are new to our ears each and every day.

I'm not saying I do this perfectly by any means.  I drift off and think of lots of others things at mass way too often. Still, I listen and at certain points in the mass I make sure I am listening. It frustrates me when others aren't.

This happened Friday morning. I was home for my parents birthdays and got up for daily mass with my father.  The priest must have been reading a different Eucharistic prayer because it didn't sound exactly the same as it usually is. This didn't bother me at all because I was listening.  He got a part where it sounded like there should have been a response.  I did not respond because I had been listening and understood the response was not coming yet.  Did everyone else present catch onto that? Nope, and half the congregation half responded after they realized that Father was still talking.  This frustrated me and still frustrates me.

The mass is always beautiful.  I've been taking it for granted and I think too many others do as well.  Lots of people don't get a chance to go to daily mass.  Those of us that get to, pay attention, that's all I ask.

Peace all