Help me get the most out of Mass and my Catholic life

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Tim_from_Montre

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I find myself attending two Masses every Sunday - the 9:00 because I love our youth choir and the 11 because I am usually either a Lector or Eucharistic Minister. I honestly am not sure how to get the most out of Mass. Am I better reading the missal as Mass progresses (but I find myself not getting the full benefit of the prayers) or am I better off putting the missal down and just listening and thinking about what is being said? I know that when I am a Lector, I read the reading several times at various times during the week - so that I can truly feel what God is saying to us. Am I best off reading the missal before Mass in the same way - so that I can participate more fully than I do if I am reading it for the first time? I am open to any suggestions and truly appreciate your help
 
I read the readings before mass so that I am already familiar with them, I take my missal to mass and use it to follow along with the readings and Responsorial Psalm. I also use it for the new Gloria and Nicene Creed, cause if I don’t, I’ll revert back to the old Creed. I don’t try to follow the prayers in the missal (too much page turning), it can be distracting.
 
No right or wrong answer.

Put as much or little time as you feel is required.
 
Hi, Tim!

It sounds like you have found most of the answers for yourself. 🙂 There is no one way that is best for everyone, but it sounds like reading the readings ahead of time and putting down the missal during Mass is what works best for you. I am pretty much the same. Except for a couple of the prayers that I haven’t got the new words down 100% (I have a terrible memory), I don’t read the missal during Mass. (That doesn’t count the responsorial psalm, because I’m in the choir and I’m reading that from something else.) For the readings (especially OT and Gospel), I like to try to picture the scene in my mind to try to make the readings powerful to my imagination as well as my intellect–I can’t do that if I am reading along. Also, if I am reading along and the lector makes a mistake with a word it distracts me. If I’m not reading along, I don’t notice. 🙂

There are no rules about it. If you’re not sure, try each way for a month or two and pray and see how you feel about it.

–Jen
 
Tim_from_Montre said:
I find myself attending two Masses every Sunday - the 9:00 because I love our youth choir and the 11 because I am usually either a Lector or Eucharistic Minister. I honestly am not sure how to get the most out of Mass. Am I better reading the missal as Mass progresses (but I find myself not getting the full benefit of the prayers) or am I better off putting the missal down and just listening and thinking about what is being said? I know that when I am a Lector, I read the reading several times at various times during the week - so that I can truly feel what God is saying to us. Am I best off reading the missal before Mass in the same way - so that I can participate more fully than I do if I am reading it for the first time? I am open to any suggestions and truly appreciate your help
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I use the Daily Roman Missal at Mass. I like to follow the Mass with my missal. However, one could follow the Mass without the missal too. To get the most out of Mass, one needs to understand , at least to some degree as we will never fully comprehend it, what the Mass is. For the Mass is Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which brought about our redemption, re-presented to us, made real in the present. Through Christ, we offer to God infinite worship at Mass. The Council of Trent declared “we must needs confess, that no other work can be performed by the faithful so holy and divine as this tremendous mystery itself.”

The Mass is offered for four ends: (1) adoration and praise to God, our creator and Lord. (2) thanksgiving for everything that God has given us. (3) to satisfy the justice of God for the sins commited against him ( propiation). (4) in petition, we ask God to bestow his blessings on all mankind. These four ends we offer to God through Christ in an infinite degree.

I highly recommend you get the book " The Incredible Catholic Mass" by Fr. Martin von Cochem. Also, “The Hidden Treasure” by St Leonard of Port Maurice. And again, “Jesus Our Eucharistic Love” by Fr. Stefano M. Manelli.
 
Sounds like you’ve already found what I would have suggested; reading your missal ahead of time and then spending Mass in contemplation as much as possible.

Remember that Mass is primarily the representation of Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross, happening on the altar. Whatever you do with the readings, unite your sacrifice to His Sacrifice and the rest will take care of itself.
 
I usually try to read the reflections prior to mass from The Word Among us wau.org. I also use the one bread, one body reflections that come in a small booklet presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp.

Also, one of the best CD’s that explains the mass is from Fr. Larry Richards catholicity.com/cds/mass.html You can download it or have it free on CD.

These helpful guides enable me to focus on the readings and the beauty of the Mass.

Blessings to you!!
 
I recommend to read the book by Dr. Edward Sri, A Biblical Walk Through the Mass. Better yet, to watch the DVD series also. My parish just finished the 5-week DVD program along with the book reading and discussions. Everyone who attended the program feels a whole lot difference afterwards. Understanding the biblical meaning of every part of the Mass really helps.

ascensionpress.com/t/category/study-programs/the-mass
 
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