The Last Mass

The Last Mass

God-Given

It's true! We have been created with two needs, to love and be loved. We were created to seek these two things. You cannot shut this desire off, as though we could find a switch and just stop the pursuit. Often we look to satisfy this need in the wrong places, not noticing these two powerful desires are often found right under our nose. Unfortunately, today's culture is, in many ways, toxic, thus keeping us from seeing clearly. What causes spiritual blindness is a fair question and the question demands an answer!

For confirmation our two greatest needs are actually God-given desires, placed within each of us, one only needs to look into the eyes of a Mother who has lost a child. Make no mistake about it, the hurt, the grief, the loss is evident, almost palpable. However, there is an even more evident reflection in these same eyes. Because the eye is the window to the soul, you can actually see what love looks like. These eyes seem to define the undefinable. Look into a Mothers eyes and you do not need a dictionary to understand love. A Mother’s eyes are totally understandable and no words need to be spoken, as there is no love like a Mother’s love. Mothers somehow have the ability to be the “glue” that can make everything okay. They are the one constant in a child's life, always THERE! Every child knows there is nobody like Mom. Mom has a God-given connection, an unbreakable bond, which enables a child to always know, “If I have nobody else, I have Mom and Mom is enough.”

Losing a child to physical death is one thing, however, losing a child to spiritual death is not unlike losing a child physically. Both are a crisis of the heart. We'll call spiritual death a crisis of faith, as the same look is seen in a Mother’s eyes. Hurt, anguish, palpable concern, what can I do, I'll do anything, tell me what more I can do, I pray all the time, tell me there is hope, better still tell me he/she will be okay...all being said without one word being spoken.

That look, that unmistakable, “wow, there is nothing I need more in this life than to be loved like that look” is how this work was born. This is a Mom's heart reaching for every child that is no longer going to church. The child has stopped practicing their faith and sees no benefit in doing so. Often this child can be heard saying, “I get nothing out of it, it's boring! I don't need church and I certainly don't like the rules...nobody should be obligated to church attendance!”

Mass – a masterpiece of spiritual genius

Like an attorney making an opening argument, please allow me to take you to church, one more time, explaining why each part of the Mass is anything but boring. Rather, the Mass is a masterpiece of spiritual genius that God Himself has put in place. We only need look a little closer. We won't be looking into the eyes of a Mother, as we will be looking into the eyes of God...the same eyes, I might add, as a Mother.

Remember, we go to church to give thanks! We struggle at times to know what we are to be thankful for, however, let's start with this: Jesus paid a debt He did not owe and we owe a debt we cannot pay. Before we start The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, I ask you to place yourself in the frame of mind that this is your last day on earth. Yes, when we finish explaining what takes place at each Mass, you will die and you will stand before God today, giving an account of everything done and not done. You have one last chance to “get right” with God. This is the last Mass you will attend. One hour from now, you will throw open the doors of eternity.

Every word at this Mass will be the last words heard, your last words spoken. These words will be your last words spoken to God before experiencing what is known as the last four things: Death, judgment, heaven or hell. Last words heard, last words spoken...let's go to Mass!

Just Holy Water?

You enter church for the last time, swing the door open to the Nave and there you dip your finger into the holy water, knowing you will never be able to perform this simple act again. This time the water actually “feels” like holy water. What kind of sign-of-the-cross will you make? Haphazard or clean and unmistakably crisp, even proud that you are a follower of Christ?

Will you remember why you dip your hand and make that sign, reminding you of your baptism where you were born again and your name was written into the Lamb's Book of Life, thereby sealing you with the mark of the Holy Spirit? Will you be profoundly aware/reminded that when you were baptized, God claimed you as His own? If this really is your last Mass, you'll likely want to repeat this gesture, as you now fully understand what happened at Baptism, your Baptism actually causing all of heaven to rejoice, because original sin was washed away.

Before Mass Begins

Now you move up the aisle. Where will you sit, as this is your last Mass, your last church attendance, your last chance to “talk with God” this side of judgment? You've decided which pew and you genuflect for the final time, somehow now knowing you are actually bowing before the presence of God. You look up, seemingly for the first time, and you notice the Cross behind the altar. An unexpected thought, a new awareness enters your mind, you audibly hear the last prayer of Jesus, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

You will now kneel, not because you have to but because you want to. “What a difference” you hear your mind say to your heart. All the other times you knelt because that's what you were taught and you really did nothing, you stayed kneeling for a minute and then sat down. This time, suddenly, you actually have something to be thankful for...a loving Mom who never stopped praying for me. You realize with a newly found awareness that you are a sinner, keenly aware of your inadequacy and want to linger on your knees, asking God to recognize you in a new light. You've changed and you know it. It's on your knees when a new attitude begins to develop within you...this is your last Mass and I am in need of a savior.

The Procession

The music starts, everyone is standing. You now know why everyone must stand. The Priest, in persona Christi, is leading you to Calvary. A sacrifice is going to be made, made not only for my sins, but for that of the whole world. You get it! I'm standing because by standing, God sees my willingness to follow Christ. Because it is your last Mass, your eyes are opened to what standing actually means. You hear the words to the song, “Jesus, my Lord, my all...how can I love thee as I ought?” The words take on a new and deeper meaning. You look around and see others with body language of indifference and you want to shout at them, “don't you see why we stand, don't just rise with your feet, rise with your heart, Jesus is present!”

Every Mass Starts The Same Way

The Priest begins as he always has, but because this is the last time you will be present for the start of Mass, the sign-of-the-cross becomes abundantly clear as to why we call on the entire Godhead to be present with us. When you make the sign-of-the-cross with the Priest, an epiphany goes off in your head and more importantly, in your heart. As you move your hand from your left shoulder to your right, you are made aware of the last judgment. Those on the left will be assigned what they chose, darkness, while those on the right will receive what they chose in life, eternal life. That's it, the thought goes off in your head again, “That's why we cross from left shoulder to right shoulder, we are crossing from misery to glory.”

The Priest startles you with his next words. It's like you've never heard them before, “The Lord be with you.” Before you can respond, and maybe you've never responded before, but this is your last opportunity and you will respond, your first thought is, “Yes Lord, please be with me.” You then say from your heart, “And with your spirit.” You realize just how powerful a request this is. Another epiphany ignites from somewhere within, “There's genius in the Catholic Church. Why didn't anyone tell me?”

A Chance for Forgiveness

Next is the Penitential Rite. Your ears hear the Priest, almost as though for the first time. The Priest says, “In order to prepare us to celebrate these sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.” This is suddenly different, your last Mass, your last chance to ask for mercy has caused you to reflect not only on the last day...the last week...the last month, but on an entire lifetime. You actually can't wait for the priest to say, “Lord have mercy.” You find yourself wondering how many times you had heard this simple request without responding, almost as though you had never really heard at all. Now the request for mercy seems like the most important prayer of the Mass. You respond with a heart-felt, “Lord, have mercy” and meant it with a newly found passion, because it will be the last time you partake in the Penitential Rite. With what genius the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was pieced together you say to yourself. You find yourself continuing to ponder the request for mercy when you hear the organ playing. The choir is singing the Gloria and the last time you will hear them sing is causing you to sing it for the first time in years.

Glory to God in the Highest

You hear the words differently at this Mass. “Glory to God in the highest... we bless You...we adore You...we glorify You...You take away the sins of the world...have mercy on us (there it is again, how wonderful a request)...You take away the sins of the world...You alone are holy...You alone are Lord...you alone, Jesus, are most high...hear our prayer.” You've never noticed all that before and suddenly it's perfectly clear why the Gloria is part of the Mass.

Your new awareness has caused you to think you just can't believe how powerful those words really are. You are now beginning to fully understand what Jesus accomplished on the Cross. Your sin has been removed and you realize one single drop of His precious blood was enough. The grip of sin no longer holds anyone in slavery. Jesus has set us free. We sing the Gloria because Jesus deserves to be thanked and He is worthy of our praise. You repeat in your head what you now fully understand, “I get it. Everyone should be singing the Gloria. If they only knew...why don't they know?”

Your thoughts change for a moment and you glance at your watch. You can't believe how fast this Mass is going. Prior to this, you always wanted it to end, however, this time you clearly see how attending with an attitude of thanksgiving causes you to be there because you want to, not because you have to.

The Priest, once again, startles you out of your pleasant thoughts about the Mass, when he says, “Let us pray.” And for the first time that you can remember you actually hear the words of the prayer. When you say amen, which means, “So be it”, you pray that everyone in attendance heard that same prayer. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you hear yourself praying for all those you know that don't attend Mass regularly, “Lord, speak to their heart, MAKE them understand, they need you, I need you.” Another thought enters your mind, this is unmistakable, you are eternally grateful for your Mother, for all those who have prayed for you.

Reading The Word of God

The Lector's voice retrieves you from your latest thought. You glance at your watch and realize there are only forty-five minutes to the end of Mass, to the end of your life. In forty-five minutes you will be standing before God.

The reading is from the Book of Isaiah & you hear, “He was bruised for our iniquity, by His stripes you were healed.” And it's as if these words were directed squarely at you. It was because of our sin that Jesus suffered and died. A light goes off in your head once again, “I put Jesus there...I caused His death...I am as guilty as anyone.” You now reach a new level of gratitude. The least thing you can offer Him is your thanks. It is now easy to give thanks. Why has it taken me a lifetime to see this? Pondering this latest thought, you hear the Cantor begin to sing. The Psalm is profound, “you will rescue my life from the pit” is sung and you know God Himself is speaking to you, perhaps you alone.

The Cantor continues, however, you are stuck. The response is the only thing you can think of clearly. It is your last Mass, last opportunity to get right with God, and He is speaking directly to you. You hear the response again and begin to sing yourself, perhaps for the first time ever. Somehow you find joy you did not know you had, partaking in the Mass is like heaven on earth is your present thought. The Psalm is a prayer you say to yourself. Why didn't I notice this before? It can be my prayer and, actually, today it is my prayer. God has profoundly touched your heart, as you sing the final response, “You WILL rescue my life from the pit.”

The Lector begins the second reading and God does it again. You realize you are sitting for these one-time seemingly meaningless readings, and the light goes on once again. We are sitting because it is a posture of learning, just like when Jesus taught the multitudes. Oh, the genius of the Catholic Church echoes once again in the back of your mind.

All Rise

The Priest stands, you stand. All rise, the Gospel, the teachings of Jesus will be read. The Priest holds up the Book of the Gospels and Alleluia is sung, which is a song of praise to God. It is the last time you will sing those words. They suddenly take on new meaning. From your heart, you partake, almost hoping God notices your newly found intent. The good news, the great news is He sees it clearly and in less than thirty minutes He will remind you of this moment.

Gestures

Father now says, “A reading from the Holy Gospel, according to Matthew.” Before you can respond with “Glory to you, O Lord” your mind is stuck on the word Holy. As you cross your forehead, it is perfectly clear to you why the Church has you cross your forehead so that God's word would be continually on your mind. As you touch your lips, you now understand why it is so important for the Gospel to be spoken...there are so many of your friends who don't attend church...who is going to tell them. And, as you cross your heart, you silently pray that all others, those in spiritual bankruptcy, would have God Himself pierce their cold, calloused heart.

You sit again, preparing to be taught from the Gospel that so many think is boring. Father is about to expound on how so many choose the wide road that leads to death and so few choose the narrow road that leads to life. For the briefest moment you wonder which road you are on. However, you quickly remember there are only twenty-five minutes of Mass remaining and you are here to make a final plea to God for your soul. Father ends with, “it's time for Catholics to attend Mass with their heart engaged and not with just their head.” You understand perfectly and you find yourself quietly saying, Amen!

Profession of Faith

Father sits after the homily, allowing the congregation a moment to reflect on the entire Liturgy of the Word, especially the homily. You come to a full realization how important it is for the Gospel to be preached. Father stands for the profession of faith. You’re on your feet a split second later, realizing it will be your last profession of faith, allowing you to speak to God what you now so eagerly believe. It is not by accident your voice inflection takes on a new and different tone, as this profession of faith is becoming very personal. It's as though Jesus is standing right in front of you, looking deeply into your eyes. You can't believe you've said this entire Creed before and not really understood why the Church included this in the Mass. Again, you pause as you reflect the genius of the Catholic Church. You come to your senses as you hear the words “He will come to judge the living and the dead.” It is here where reality hits you right in the face. Today, you will be judged and an unexpected shiver goes up and down your spine.

Intercessions

Before you know it, the Priest is saying an introductory prayer for the intercessions of the faithful and the Lector begins to lead the congregation in prayer. You cannot believe how important all these prayers really are. Why isn't the whole church body saying, “Lord, hear our prayer?!” When the prayer is given on behalf of all those who have stopped practicing their faith, a tear mysteriously appears in your eye. It's okay you say to yourself, a new understanding for prayer has pierced your heart.

The restlessness you started your last Mass with is now gone. You know on the inside your spirit has come to life and the smile you have forming at the corner of your mouth is perfectly normal and totally understandable. You were once lost, just like the Prodigal, but now you have come to life. The Liturgy of the Word is over and you have just become confident everything is going to be okay. You're going to be just fine.

Gifts are Brought to the Altar

You find yourself sitting again. For the first time ever, you notice the gifts being brought to the Altar. Jesus will again be offered in a bloodless sacrifice. The Altar is prepared and this time it just looks different. In your mind you glimpse back to what the Last Supper was really like, especially when Jesus said to the twelve, “one of you will betray me.” Really, you think, how could anyone betray him and you fully realize you had done the same thing by staying away from church. You pause with guilt, when you realize you are here to partake in this offering and it will be your last opportunity to offer yourself as a living sacrifice...just like scripture tells us to do. The light went off again, not only is the bread and wine offered but God just showed you how important it is to offer yourself to him in full surrender to his will. And you then say to yourself, we haven't even prayed the Our Father, which allows exactly that, total surrender to God's will. What a wonderful thing this is, The Mass!

The Bread of Life

Your thought is broken with, “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation...and you hear the final words and it is as if they are shouted, not from the altar, but from heaven itself, “IT WILL BECOME THE BREAD OF LIFE.” You can't believe you never heard those words before. Your stunned how aggressively you respond, “Blessed be God forever”, as you too are very close to experiencing forever. The Priest finishes with words that now make complete sense, “Pray that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, The Almighty Father.” Your thoughts are hung up on the words “my sacrifice and YOURS” as the words spill from your lips, “may the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good of all His Holy Church.” Perfect sense you think to yourself. Moving to a deep, contemplative state of mind, it is clear this sacrifice is presented all over the world, every day, as it is the continual sacrifice that the Prophet Malachi spoke of hundreds of years before Christ. Three-hundred fifty years before Christ and we now live this sacrifice every day. Amazing!

Eucharistic Prayer

The Eucharistic Prayer begins and you find yourself listening, as it is no longer boring. It is a powerful prayer, as it is the start of the miracle that happens at each Mass. You now hear the Priest say, “The Lord be with you.” The congregation responds with, “and with your spirit.” It is here where the impact of that exchange becomes a reality. A most holy and perfect prayer has just been exchanged. It surprises you at how nonchalantly the congregation makes this exchange. You think, doesn't everyone realize the Lord is being offered to you and how blessed we are to receive. “Lift up your hearts” the Priest offers. Too late, you say to yourself, my heart is already lifted up. Yet, you respond, “We lift them up to the Lord.” Father says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.” And you’re thinking, this is crazy, as we have been giving thanks to the Lord the entire Mass. However, you joyfully speak the words and understand them completely, “It is right and just.”

Holy, Holy, Holy

Father then continued the prayer and asked us to join with the choir of angels who attend the throne of God continually with their hymn of praise. It is what the Prophet Isaiah witnessed when given a vision of heaven. He heard the angels praise God and he was humbled when he understood he was a man of unclean lips. An angel then took a coal from the Golden Altar and told him, because he was touched by a coal from the Altar of God, his sins were forgiven. Entering into the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we too will be touched from the heavenly Altar. That's why we are invited to join in with the angels, “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.” Hosanna is a shout of praise, which means “save us, we pray.” How fitting you say...shouldn't everyone know this?

We Kneel in Humility

We rightly kneel in humility, knowing we too are people of unclean lips and we are in constant need of forgiveness. God is now present and a miracle is about to take place. Suddenly, as this is your last Eucharistic Prayer, you're not concerned at all how long this prayer may take. You hear every word for the first time, as you actually find yourself praying with the Priest. After all, it is your sacrifice as well. When he calls on the Holy Spirit to come down and transform the bread and wine into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, you see the hands over the chalice with a new clarity and you hear the bells. The bells are repeated when Jesus is raised, in the hands of the Priest, as a bloodless sacrifice offered to God The Father. You have just witnessed a miracle, as you realize the Mass is almost over. You're no longer concerned this is your last day on earth. Rather, a new found awareness has entered your spirit. As scripture says, “your spirit is bearing witness that you are a son of God.”

You hear the words “let us proclaim the mystery of faith” and it is no longer a total mystery to you, as you softly say the words from your heart, “Save us Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set me...I mean us free.” The Priest comes to the end of the Eucharistic Prayer and lifts The Lamb of God in honor and praise to God The Father. The words are now chilling as you fully understand what just took place. “Through Him and with Him and in Him, O God Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.” The amen that is uttered is known as the Great Amen and you know, in your heart, demons tremble at the name of Jesus.

The Most Powerful Prayer

Up on our feet once again. You will now be asked to pray your last Our Father. It now makes total sense when the Priest says, “At the Saviors command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say.” You never knew why the Church had the Priest say the words “dare to say”, but as the words unfold from your lips for the last time, you can't believe how powerful the prayer really is. You can't believe how rushed the prayer seems to be said, when every phrase, every word can have impact on our lives. “Thy will be done” is now recognized as total surrender. “Forgive us our trespasses” leaps from your heart as you realize God wants to do exactly that, but it comes with a condition, “as we forgive others.” “And lead us not into temptation” is said and you now know this isn't just for you, but is for the whole Church throughout the world. “Deliver us from evil” is spoken and it lingers in your mind how important this prayer is. You glance at your watch and you only have ten minutes left to live.

Deliver Us From Every Evil

The next words spoken by the Priest are life changing, “Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil. Graciously grant peace in our hearts, that, by the help of your mercy, we may always be free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Your response takes on an impactful meaning, as you realize it is only through the work of Jesus that you can be free of sin, and the words “for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever” make sense for the first time. You quietly say to yourself, “all the dots are connecting.”

Sharing the Gift of Peace

Not much time left. The Mass, your last Mass is almost over. You're jarred back to reality with the words, “The peace of the Lord be with you always.” And it's almost ironic how you, at that moment, covet that very peace, because before you attended your final Mass, you never before realized how important it was to offer your brother and sister in Christ the peace of God. As you say to the Priest, “and with your spirit”, you now know how powerful those words, that prayer for the Priest, really are.

Holy Communion

Here we are! The organ begins and the most amazing words ever spoken are being sung, “Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.” You are in utter amazement as your heart leaps from your chest, understanding with complete confidence, you are going to receive exactly what you are asking for, “HAVE MERCY ON US” is not only being asked for, it is being provided. The last and final sacrament you will ever receive is lifted by the Priest before you. The words of the Priest are crystal clear as he says, “Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world, blessed are those called to the Supper of The Lamb.” The words “who takes away the sins of the world” has a calming impact on your heart. Yes, this Jesus you now know personally, found right under your nose, through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, has taken the full penalty for your sin. You understand the words you are now speaking, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” You now feel totally connected. The entire Mass was offered to guide the faithful to this exact moment. What genius the Catholic Church has, you remind yourself once again.

John 1:12 - “to as many as receive Him, to them

He gave the right to become children of God”

Your pew now stands, moving into the aisle, ready to receive Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul and divinity, in Holy Communion. As your feet touch the aisle, you totally understand that you are standing on holy ground. What is that song depicting Jesus traveling the road to the Cross...”down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day...” Dolorosa, the way of suffering...Jesus paid that heavy price of suffering...it is truly holy ground that paved the way for you to receive Him in Holy Communion. 

Somehow you know that God is smiling at your willingness to “eat His flesh and drink His blood”, as the Apostle John said in the Gospel of John, Chapter six. You raise your cupped hands as though they are a throne. The Eucharistic Minister says, “The Body of Christ” and you say, “Amen.” It is the first time you know in your heart, you have just experienced heaven on earth.

You make the sign-of-the-cross after receiving Jesus as though you never made it before. God has just met with me and I am grateful. You head back to your pew, knowing full well your time is down to a precious few minutes and you are still unbelievably thankful. You kneel and the only thought, the only necessary thought is thanksgiving.

The Altar is being tended for your last time. The Priest folds the cloth, tucks it away and the Altar server takes the Holy Vessels away. You're kneeling, you realize, for the final time. The Priest sits and you don't want to, as you stay kneeling until the Priest stands. You Stand! Your mind is rushing, yet amazingly still. Why are you so calm you ask yourself? It is because you just met with Jesus Himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and never before have you realized the treasure, the opportunity offered at each Mass. You can only be thankful. There is no room for sadness.

The Mass is Ending

The Priest breaks your thought with the words, “The Lord be with you” and you answer with your heart, he is, and you then say with words, “and with your spirit.” A smile suddenly creases your face, you can't help it, as you know what comes next. Yes, the words are coming from the Priest once again, “May Almighty God bless you, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.” You're almost laughing on the inside because you once again realize the entire Mass was geared to condition your heart and soul to receive this blessing, a blessing that comes from God Himself. You say Amen, aware of what's next.

Go in Peace, The Mass is Over

Father shatters these last thoughts, this one last reflection, with, “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” And, as you hear your last words beginning to form in your mouth, you understand totally that when you experience The Mass as we should, “Thanks be to God” are the only words that make sense. They are the only appropriate words we could say. You hear your last words and you realize they were used to give thanks to God. Your judgment begins and you are perfectly prepared. Your last living thought rushes back to the end of the Apostles Creed, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen!” You fall on your face as you gaze into the eyes of Jesus. His eyes are deep, powerful, eyes that speak without using words, they are welcoming and full of love. You are not surprised...they look just like your Mothers eyes. Thank you, Mom! I'll see you soon!