Trouble focusing at Mass

[lefty22]

I’ve been having a hard time really focusing at Mass; my prayer seems to wander, I feel far away from God, and I’m just not “getting” the Eucharist like I want to. Closing my eyes helps me focus sometimes but I still just can’t quite settle down and be with God the way I’ve been able to when I’m alone at home praying. It’s just this weird sort of disconnect or something.

Does this happen to anyone else? Any advice on how to push through it?

Thanks! God bless.

~lefty22

 

[Suegra]

Occasionally at Mass if I find a lot of things crowding my mind - like a number of things that have to get done, etc., – I (unobtrusively, I hope) slip a pen and piece of paper out of my purse and jot down a few notes about the things that keep distracting me, then put them away to be dealt with later. This frees me from focusing on those tasks until later, but gives me a way to be sure I will remember them later.

If it’s a spiritual matter (somebody hurt my feelings, I’m angry about something, I’m worried), I try to realize what my real issue/sin is and offer it up to God in prayer, penitence, and meditation. If I can, I’ll try to find something in the Scripture readings or sermon at the Mass that relates to the struggle I’m having, and seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit to inform my soul what I should do (if there’s something that can be done).

 

[Bartolome_Casas]

Sit in the first pew, or very near the front.

Attend a Mass that has few people attending.

Arrive to mass 30 minutes early, and start calming yourself down in that pre-Mass time.

Find something spiritual to focus on, like a painting, a statue, a crucifix.

Follow along in the missal, word by word, at least part of the time.

Don’t be so attentive to how you are feeling moment-by-moment during the Mass. Just be there and participate. You’ll feel things as a result of that, sooner or later.

Mass will never be exciting like a movie, a computer game, at TV show, a sports game. It is what it is. But it can bring its own pleasures and benefits that those other things never can.

 

[JimmytheButcher]

I’ve been having a hard time really focusing at Mass; my prayer seems to wander, I feel far away from God, and I’m just not “getting” the Eucharist like I want to. Closing my eyes helps me focus sometimes but I still just can’t quite settle down and be with God the way I’ve been able to when I’m alone at home praying. It’s just this weird sort of disconnect or something.

Does this happen to anyone else? Any advice on how to push through it?

Imagine a long train barreling down the railroad tracks. Now imagine a little child trying to stop it on a dime by standing in front of the enormous mass of iron.

The holy Mass is a mountain, an enormous thing that cannot be held on to, or moved. It must be approached on step at a time. If you’re on a plateau somewhere on the mountain, take a rest. Attend the holy Mass (at least when required). Kneel. Don’t try to do anything beyond the physical movements that are appropriate to your office as a layman. Don’t get caught up with trying to even hear the readings, or the prayers, or even look at the sights. Don’t try to understand anything. Be still.

Do this for a short while and you will have toughed it out.

 

[DexUK]

Don’t worry, the distractions and lack of focus will happen to all us during Mass at one time or another.

Perhaps you need to attend a different ‘style’ of Mass (more or less music, larger or smaller congregation, etc) for a little while to get back into it again.

A suggestion might be for you to find a Catholic retreat centre - maybe a monastery or a convent (I haven’t noticed what gender you are, sorry!). That type of environment being both different and new might help kick start you and if it’s a guided retreat, you might find some advice that fits for you.

 

[Brightest_Star]

I have felt the same, although briefly.

My suggestion is to go early. Spend time alone. Sit. Be. Think. Remember why you are there.

I’ve notices some people bring things with them. Saint cards. Rosaries. Pamphlets, books, Bibles. Something physical to touch and look at.

Of course, the best way to recapture the spirit is to pray for it to return!

 

[E_7]

Sit in the first pew, or very near the front.

Attend a Mass that has few people attending.

Arrive to mass 30 minutes early, and start calming yourself down in that pre-Mass time.

Find something spiritual to focus on, like a painting, a statue, a crucifix.

Follow along in the missal, word by word, at least part of the time.

pretty much this.

 

[puzzleannie]

I’ve
Does this happen to anyone else? Any advice on how to push through it?

Thanks! God bless.

~lefty22

It happens to everyone from time to time
best advice I ever heard from Thomas Howard, and also from Marcello D’Ambrosio:

Listen.

active listening.

at every Mass no matter how lax the liturgical practice, how mundane the homily, how pitiful the music, God has a Word for you, because the Word is present and active. Listen for that word for you today. It may not necessarily be in the homily or readings, it may be in the prayers themselves either the priest’s part or the people’s part, or in a song lyric, or even in a casual remark from another person on the way out. Active listening the kind that requires a response even if it is internal not verbalized is the way to participate most deeply.

For the next few Masses start focusing on the Eucharistic prayers. Read and pray along with the priest and note how they teach what what believe. They are some of the most beautiful literature in the world by the way, sheer poetry even in the English translation.

During the consecration be present to Christ as you would have had you been huddled at the foot of the cross 2000 years ago, and in receiving communion be present to Him as you would have in the garden on Easter morning or in the upper room on the evening of Easter when he appeared.

Do not try to force emotions, but be there, as you would in the hospital room of a gravely ill loved one, at a funeral, at a family celebration, any occasion where you would share in the emotion and circumstance of a loved one, even though it is not about you.

For a while don’t bother with missal, prayerbook, rosary, pew card or any other distraction, just listen. It sounds silly but one time the noise of an unbalanced fan actually had a message for me.

 

[DexUK]

Despite no doubt hearing it on many occasions, I vividly recall my parish priest celebrating Mass one day and using the Eucharistic Prayer that includes the phrase “Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven”. He placed a certain stress on the word “angel” and suddenly the prayer took life in my head and became a beautiful image. I think I probably experienced a moment of grace at that point.

I hope that counts as an example of ‘active listening’ - where something just grabs you and connects you for a moment to God in a way that you don’t expect.

I now love to hear that phrase. I hope to become a priest one day, and I can’t wait to use it myself.

 

[lefty22]

Thank you all; your replies really did help. I just got back from Mass and I really tried not to stress it so much, just to watch and listen and pray a little, but not feel so pressured to “get” everything right away. This is something I’m going to need to work on, but I really did feel some peace. So thank you all for your advice

God bless,
lefty22