Mental Prayer for February 4, The Mass: a Real-Life Drama

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: To develop and nurture a real and proper under­standing of the tremendous fact of the Mass.

The Idea: The Mass is a real-life drama... the greatest drama on earth... a drama in which I have a big part to play: to offer Christ to God and myself with Christ. The drama of the Mass has three acts :

First Act: We want to go to God, our Maker and Father, so we bring gifts for a sacrifice. They stand for ourselves; they show Him our own self-­offering; they carry our repentance, love, and gratitude, our worship and submission - our Heart. The Offertory.

Second Act. The Consecration: Our gifts are changed into Christ slain for us on Calvary. So what we really end up offering is His great sacrifice of infinite value. Calvary is put in our hands; and our self-offering is carried up to God by Christ, in union with His sacrifice of Himself.

Third Act. The Communion: Finally, we receive Christ. He now comes to share His life with us. He has carried our offering to God and now brings God's friendship to us.

My Personal Application: How often I have looked around for something to give to God when He has given me a special favor! What could I have to give Him? By myself alone I have no gift worthy of Him. But here in the Mass, Christ takes my gift of myself, unites it to Himself, and offers to God the Father the perfect gift.

I Speak to God: Holy Spirit, help me to under­stand this great mystery. Help me to see my part in the great drama. I won't be able to get very far without your help. I want to understand, to deeply realize what the Mass means to me.

Thought for Today: I offer thee my whole life in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass through­out the world.
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)