Losing the spark?

Q: I just started college, and slowly I am turning away from the Church. I know I shouldn't and I try to still live a holy life, but my heart isn't into it. Can you offer any advice that can help me get my heart in the right place?

Man, you bring up a question that all of us have to deal with at some point in our lives. Whose faith is it anyway?

It's easy to question what purpose the Mass and our faith community may serve in our lives as we grow older. Sometimes we try to find ourselves by breaking away from the context of our childhood, which is common for cradle Catholics. We lose sight of the reality of a community faith and forget the nourishment, both psychological and spiritual, that grows from being a part of it. So let me offer a suggestion in three parts by looking at the words that we use for the Mass.

The word Mass itself comes from a Latin word "Missa." It means "to be sent," and today we use the same concept when the Priest gives the final blessing, saying, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord." We are supposed to be sent into the world to live our faith.

God has given us something much more precious than we can even understand right now.

Eucharist comes from a Greek word that means "to return thanks." It's a verb, an action. So being part of the Mass should mean being an active participant. Not just having some vaguely religious thoughts float through our minds, but actually taking part in the celebration of the Eucharist.


Compare it to other acts of thanksgiving in your life. If someone gives you a terrific gift, you don't just think pleasant thoughts about that person inside your mind while keeping your voice silent and your body motionless. You do something to give or return tanks. You at least say it out loud and give that person a hug, maybe write a thank you note or send a card, or perhaps even do a little something special, too. God has given us something much more precious than we can even understand right now. It's called salvation from death. It's called eternal life. That's big stuff; as big as it gets. We need to say thanks. We need to do thanks. That's what the Eucharist is all about.

The word Liturgy gives us another insight into what the Mass is all about. It's another Greek word, and it means "a public work of service." The main thing is that it's something people do, or build, together.

There is an Amish tradition of the community coming together to build a house or a barn for a newly married rural couple. Building the house or barn is really a celebration what they're all about as a community, and the house or barn they build is a gift (I watched "Witness" 100 times so I know this).

Well, Liturgy is something like that. God doesn't need a new barn; and that's not the gift we give when we do Liturgy. We give Jesus, the perfect gift. Jesus becomes present on our Altar. He's just as real there, just as present there, as He was to Mary and Joseph as a baby in Bethlehem. Just as real and just as present there as He was to Peter and James and John and Mary and Martha and all those other people two thousand years ago in Galilee. He only looks different. He looks like bread; He looks like wine, but remember what the Bible says:



"Take and eat it, this is my body. Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant" -Matthew 26:26-27



That was His choice of how to be remembered, how to be present, how to live the gift of His life for us, how He wanted us to come together and celebrate what we're all about.

This celebration of the Mass looks and feels different from one time to another, from one church to another. The truth of the celebration remains the same no matter where ever you are, but the style and feel of the community varies. The Mass can be very formal and austere as in many Cathedrals. Or the Mass can also feel more like home, like a family gathering. Both atmospheres offer a distinct experience of the Mass, and we may prefer one over the other, but when we come to Mass, we're all still a family gathering together, and there are many different styles of doing that. Try to enjoy all the different ways of celebrating these things. And never forget what is really happening there.

Imagine that Jesus shows up on your doorstep one Sunday. He's carrying songbooks and magazines and sketchbooks. He says, "I'd like to plan the perfect Mass and I want your help." Draw or write about the perfect Mass that you and Jesus plan together. Consider the following questions:
What is the most important message you want to get across to everyone who comes?

* Who would you and Jesus want to be there?
* Where would the perfect Mass be?
* Who would celebrate the Mass?
* Would there be music? What kind?
* What would happen during Mass?
* What would you and Jesus change about the Mass now? Why?
* What would you keep?
* What would you do during Mass?
* How would your Mass change people? How would that carry into their lives?



I hope doing the exercise above helps you to see that you have some pretty decent ideas about the liturgy. Maybe the people in your parish or school who plan liturgies could use some of your ideas. Or maybe your parish youth group is looking for someone like you to help plan a special liturgy for people your age. Ask a parent, teacher, catechist, or pastor for ways to put your ideas to work.

Meanwhile, we haven't yet done anything to change those Sunday Masses that may leave you feeling less than enthusiastic. You may need to look for ways to pump up your interest, and these ways don't all have to be deeply holy, officially religious things. God accepts us at Mass for whatever reason gets us there. Search for the golden nugget. Hidden inside every liturgy is that little something that will talk to you if you look for it and listen to it. It makes you think, raises an interest.

Please know that you are in my prayers.


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