HOLY MASS: A HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE

“Holy, holy, holy…” –Revelation 4:8

Mass Readings: November 16
First: Revelation 4:1-11; Resp: Psalm 150:1-6; Gospel: Luke 19:11-28

The book of Revelation gives us a vision that lifts our minds and our spirits from an earthly to a heavenly perspective. St. John’s vision helps us to set our hearts on heaven rather than earth (Col 3:1-2). More than anything else on earth, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass enables us to have not only a heavenly perspective, but even a heavenly experience. In the Mass, Jesus is present in the Eucharist. Jesus Himself said: “I Myself am the Living Bread come down from heaven” for us to eat and never die (Jn 6:50, 51). In the Person of the eucharistic Jesus, heaven is wedded to earth (Easter Vigil Exsultet).

In the Mass, we join with the angels and saints as they sing, “Holy, holy, holy” (Rv 4:8). In the Mass, we spend our lives in heavenly worship and earthly charity until Jesus returns. At Mass, we “praise the Lord in His sanctuary” (Ps 150:1). We wait in joyful hope for Jesus to come again and bring us with Him to heaven. In the Mass, we have “an open door to heaven” (Rv 4:1) as we join in the heavenly worship “around the throne” of God (Rv 4:3). In the Mass, “the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth” (Catechism, 1354).

At Mass, “we have our citizenship in heaven; it is from there that we eagerly await the coming of our Savior” Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20). “Participation in the Holy Sacrifice [of the Mass]…unites us even now to the Church in heaven” (Catechism, 1419). Go to Mass as often as possible, even daily. Experience heaven on earth.

PRAYER: Jesus, I invest my life in taking up the cup of salvation, the Bread of Life, and calling on Your name at Mass (Ps 116:12-13).

PROMISE: “Whoever has will be given more, but the one who has not will lose the little he has.” –Lk 19:26

PRAISE: St. Gertrude was devoted to Christ’s Passion and Christ in the Eucharist.