Sunday mornings are very chaotic at our house. Getting everyone out of bed, making breakfast and figuring out clothing for six people always takes longer than I planned. The clothing part is especially hard and for some reason our house is a black hole of socks and shoes; we can never seem to find any when we need them. As we go through this chaos I try to keep in mind the importance of what we are getting ready for and the gift that our family is about to receive. This preparation, of course, is for Sunday Mass, the most important event on our family’s weekly calendar and the cornerstone of our life as a Catholic family.
Going to Mass is important but our obligation does not stop when we walk through the door. Yes, we must be present physically but we must also be present mentally. I will not pretend that going to mass with four kids is easy and that all six of us are attentive at all times. Ideally, the kids would sit still and listen to every word said during the homily but that does not happen very often. Many things can distract us during Mass and it is easy for our minds to wander. This is especially true for our children. Keeping them focused and attentive can be a losing battle, particularly for little ones, but they are still able to absorb and understand more than we think. It is important to bring them to Mass each week, even if it does not seem like they are benefiting from it, because what we are really doing is helping them build their relationship with Christ. Attending Sunday Mass and introducing our children to the beauty of our traditions and the basics of what we believe as Catholics is critical to their faith development.
I often leave wondering if I really experienced Mass or if I allowed the Holy Spirit to enter into my heart and mind. Did I just go through the motions? Did I think about the words that I was saying or the meaning of my actions as I participated in Mass? Some weeks are good and to be honest, some feel like complete failures. Those failures would be the times where my attention was on the kids or when I spent the entire time in the lobby with my two year old who just wanted to climb and talk as loud as she could for an hour. Other times my mind has the wrong focus and I think about work or my lengthy to do list. No matter what my experience was for the prior week, I always strive to do better and experience the fullness of God’s grace.
I try to enter Mass each week focused on the wonderful gift I am about to experience. One thing that I have found to be helpful is to say the following prayer before Mass:
Heavenly Father: I, your unworthy servant, come to worship you in this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. By your grace, kindly help me to listen attentively, pray devoutly, and receive worthily the Sacred Body and Blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. May your Holy Spirit open the eyes of my heart to perceive more fully the great Mystery that takes place on the sacred altar. Amen.
We have busy schedules and it can be difficult for us as parents to set the right priorities for ourselves and for our children. With everything that we have going on, our week can seem like a jumbled mess of activities with no clear path or direction. At Sunday Mass, we are reminded to place Jesus at the center of our life and that living according to His example and teachings should be our number one priority.