Easter is a time of “new life”. One of the areas, I think our parish is being called to show “new life” is getting to Mass on time on Sunday mornings! Not too long ago our Holy Father, Pope Francis, spoke exactly to this point and I want to share some of his reflections with you this morning.

The celebration opens with the Introductory Rites, the Greeting, the Act of Penitence, the Kyrie Eleison, the Gloria Hymn and the Collect Prayer. It is the Collect of the prayer intentions of all peoples; and that Collect of the peoples’ intention rises to heaven as a prayer. These Introductory Rites— is “to ensure that the faithful who come together as one establish communion and dispose themselves to listen properly to God’s word and to celebrate the Eucharist worthily”. It is not a good habit to look at your watch and say: “I am on time; I arrive after the sermon and this way I fulfil the precept”. Mass begins with the sign of the Cross, with these Introductory Rites, because there we begin to adore God as a community. And for this reason it is important to make sure you do not arrive late, but rather early, in order to prepare the heart for this rite, for this community celebration.

The altar is Christ: it is the figure of Christ. When we look at the altar, we are looking exactly at Christ. The Mass is an encounter of love with Christ, who, by offering his Body on the Cross, became “the priest, the altar and the lamb”. And the whole community around the altar, which is Christ, not to look at each other, but to look at Christ, because Christ is the center of the community; he is not distant from it.

Then there is the sign of the Cross. Please, mom and dad, grandparents, teach the children, from the beginning— from a tender age— to make the sign of the Cross properly. And explain to them that it is having Jesus’ Cross as protection. When we make the sign of the Cross, we not only commemorate our Baptism, but affirm that the liturgical prayer is the encounter with God in Jesus Christ, who became flesh, died on the Cross and rose in glory for us.

The priest offers the liturgical Greeting with the expression: “The Lord be with you”. In this way we express the common faith and the mutual wish to abide with the Lord and to live in unity with the entire community.

All of us are sinners; and for this reason at the start of Mass we ask forgiveness. It is the act of Penitence. It is not a matter of only thinking about the sins committed, but much more: it is the invitation to confess our sins before God and before the community, with humility and sincerity. If the Eucharist truly renders present the Paschal Mystery, meaning Christ’s passing from death to life, then the first thing we have to do is recognize our own situation of death in order to rise again with him to new life. This helps us understand how important the Act of Penitence is.

When we come “a little late” to Mass, these are the things we miss, and so, the moments given to enter more deeply into the mystery are missing and we often leave Mass feeling empty. Come on time and see the difference it can make!

God bless you!
Fr. Pat