Gospel for June 2 2024 – Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26
Gospel Reflections for June 2 2024
A Sunday about Mass and Communion…
Jesus promises His food and drink will bring eternal life!
Anyone who meets the Lord always comes away different …and happier. Jesus founded His Church and sacraments to make His meeting with you happen.
What is The Mass and why does it change?
The Mass is a means to an end …which is to meet Jesus personally …and then you change the world. Mass changes only to make that meeting easier and more authentic. Jesus empowers the Church to change it as needed …and remove any obstacles (Matt. 16:18). A big change was about 500 years ago when the Latin language was used everywhere since most people understood it.
Vatican II was a major change in 1965. Why was that?
The Church saw Catholics fighting each other in WWI, WWII, and the rise of evil Communism. Over 150 million deaths! The Mass was having no effect on people! How to make the meeting with Jesus clearer? One way was to change Latin to the local language since no one spoke Latin anymore.
Who decides how Mass is celebrated?
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal guides everything. It also allows variations for local customs and ethnic traditions. Bishops can change the Mass in emergencies too, e.g., close churches, communion only in hand, etc. Pastors can also make changes with the Bishop’s approval.
Where do we meet and reverence Jesus in Church?
Before Mass …in the Tabernacle. During Mass …on the altar with the Priest who stands in His place. After Communion … inside you. (He wants to listen and speak to you personally right away!)
Most important time of all is your conversation with Jesus right after your own communion.
There should be no distractions to your time with the Lord. You welcome His presence in your life and ask Him to help you change for the better. Immediately after receiving, sit or kneel and focus on Jesus inside you, and think about the rest of your day. How you will be different …with Jesus now inside you?
FINAL DISMISSAL WORD …is the name of the whole event!
The word Mass comes from the Latin word Missa, which means sent. The priest’s final words were, Ite, Missa est, meaning, Go, you are sent! You are sent to take the person of Jesus you received at Mass to all those you meet the rest of the day!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
I find going to Mass a pleasure and not just an Obligatjon. We gather with other souls, hear words from Scriptures of Wisdom and Light composed from the Word ofGod.. streaming to us from Centuries Past carrying a message to live and pray by. We gather as the Body of Christ composed of Men, Women all races and politics concentrating on the Word and Sacraments shielded from
Distractions to consume His Body and Blood in Comunion.
This is the Highlight of our Day or Week depending on how often we participate. We honor Saints and others who have set an example for us. Listen to a Homily and feel renewed and refreshed from the experience. I wish all a wonderful Ceebration this Sunday of Corpus Christi.
Well said!
Dear Father Dave.
Thank you for your reflection and history of the Mass.
The Mass is a beautiful Catholic tradition. It has everything: hymns of praise and humility, joyful and adoring prayers, teachings from the Bible, direct communication from a priest or deacon, and most importantly of all, holy communion.
Yes, the Mass seeps into my heart and soul and soothes my life, which happens all the time. It instills in me a wish that all the people I know and love could have this spiritual experience.
It’s also nice to see familiar faces. It’s doubly nice to see young children with their parents and observe how they grow and change.
God bless!
Kathleen
Well said!
We so look forward to our orecious Masses!!! WE so love encountering our loving Jesus in all the readings but most of all receiving our precious Jesus in Holy Communion!!! We love receiving our Jesus and we love receiving His loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Then the beauty is sharing His love with everyone!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it and love precious you for giving us our loving Jesus!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!