Daydreaming at Mass

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If a person unintentionally daydreamed at Mass (during the Consecration) and as a result ‘missed’ the Consecration, or a significant part of it, would it be sinful for them to go up and receive Communion at that Mass?
 
No.

Daydreaming is either venial or not sinful at all, depending on the circumstances. Deliberately allowing your mind to wander because you don’t take the Holy Mass seriously, or view it as a chore, would constitute a much larger problem, but that isn’t what you are describing here.

Each time a person redirects themselves after their mind wanders, it is pleasing and meritorious to God.

Having something to focus on can help reign in a wandering mind, such as the candle next to the tabernacle, or one of the many pieces of sacred art in the sanctuary, along with focusing on your breathing and collecting yourself before Mass. If different thoughts are troubling or concerning you, you might say, “Jesus, I place all of my [fears, thoughts, distractions] before the foot of your Altar. Let your will be done in my life. I love you.” Mental spontaneous prayers can be repeated as often as is necessary. St Mother Teresa often did “blitz Rosaries” where she said a much shorter prayer on each of the beads and went through them very quickly.
 
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You were physically present so you didn’t “miss” anything. And you did this unintentionally, so no sin (unless your daydream itself was a lustful thought or something equally sinful).
Keeping your mind on the Mass is a habit to develop. I note that where they still ring bells at Consecration, that serves nicely to “wake up” those who may be day dreaming at that moment.

Even if this had gone beyond daydreaming and you had to step out to use the restroom during the Consecration or even if you were very late to Mass and arrived just at Communion time, you would still be permitted to receive. Arriving very late to Mass without a good excuse might be a venial sin that you could mention next Confession, but it wouldn’t mean you couldn’t receive Communion as venial sins don’t take us out of the state of grace.
 
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Daydreaming is generally involuntary. You just start doing it without thinking. When you realize you are doing it, you generally stop, unless you find yourself daydreaming about God.

Why would this even remotely be a sin? I see people praying the Rosary during Mass sometimes. Are you saying that they are sinning by praying?
 
According to my previous priest, praying the Rosary during the Mass is not appropriate, and with the proper knowledge, it would be a sin. The Holy Mass is itself a prayer - the highest prayer of the Church - and your attention should be on that prayer.

The Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and other devotions should be done before or after the Mass.
 
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Melodeonist said:
I see people praying the Rosary during Mass sometimes. Are you saying that they are sinning by praying?
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It should be noted that praying the Rosary during Mass is a special case because it was an old traditional practice that was explicitly permitted by Pope Leo and later by Pope Pius XII (Mediator Dei, 1947), although later discouraged by Pope Paul VI post-Vatican II on the basis that people should be actively participating at Mass. In any event the Rosary is an intentional act of saying a different prayer during Mass so it is not the same as am involuntary daydream. I say it from time to time during Mass based on the explicit Papal permission to do so.
 
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Thanks for all your helpful comments. That makes sense. I still do struggle sometimes with going up to receive Communion if I daydream during the Consecration (or the Gospel).

Yesterday, at Saturday evening Mass, I drifted off during the Consecration of the chalice and ‘missed’ it. I stayed in my pew as people were going up to Communion and wasn’t going to receive as a result, then the ‘voice’ of my conscience suddenly said “Go up”. So I received.
 
Do you follow the practice of saying “My Lord and My God” while looking at the elevated host or chalice, striking your breast, bowing and saying “My Jesus, mercy” during the elevations at the Consecration? I do this because my dad did. It helps keep me focused because when the host or chalice goes up, I’m supposed to say or do something. Besides I like to look right then and see bread and wine become Jesus’ body and blood.
 
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I do say “Dominus meus et Deus meus” at the elevation of the host and chalice, and the church(es) I attend Mass at do ring the bell, but I still find myself drifting off at times.
 
Prayer is like exercise: the more you do it, the better you will get at it. The practice of prayer,right?

It seems like this difficulty is too much for you to overcome on your own. You know Whom you need to ask for help 😉 And you might try meditating on the prayers of the consecration.
 
Even Peter, and the other two apostles fell asleep while Christ prayed in the Garden. We are no better or no worse. “Can you not stay awake one hour?” …Happens to the best of us…Even Pope Francis recently admitted to drifting into sleep during prayer…since the Mass is a prayer, is the righteousness of the Holy Father in question because he has fallen asleep? I think not…and I certainly hope not!
 
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Daydreaming does not mean that you’re asleep. It’s more like fantasizing.
 
No, but more often than not it’s about secular concerns regarding work etc. Those mundane, nagging things that grind you, and during these mundane thoughts the Sacrifice of Calvary in unbloodied form is being re-enacted in front of me, and I’m thinking about rubbish from work.
 
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Thoughts drift in nevertheless and you’re back in a world concerned by work.
 
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Your attention during the Consecration is certainly not necessary for the transubstantiation. Recall also that some people receive Communion not at Mass but in hospitals or homes. That tells you that attention during the Consecration is not necessary. I think what is necessary is to receive it well.
 
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I like the idea of saying Dominus meus et Deus meus. I think I’ll do that next Mass.
 
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