• 5 Reasons to Attend Daily Mass
• Tips for Making a Good Confession
• 99 + Effective Ways to Evangelize as a Catholic
• Ways to Keep the Lord’s Day Holy
  
  

5 Reasons Why We Should Try to Go To Daily Mass

I’ve been going to daily Mass for the greater part of twenty years.  In the days and weeks after September 11, my soul was touched by the number of people who also began attending.  I thought I understood God’s purpose in allowing that evil day to happen.  It seemed the churches were half-full, at daily Masses. I wondered why they we not completely full.   Then, as things seem to brighten and become more stable, the churches gradually emptied again.  I guess we really didn’t understand… God’s love and protection are the only real stability we will ever know in life.

So, below are five reasons I go to daily Mass.  I believe they are five of the same reasons you, also, might consider.

1. Receiving Christ in the Blessed Eucharist gives us the strength to fight selfish pride and sin.

Pride and ego are two of the many demons most of us must battle constantly.  We desire pleasure, things, convenience, notice, etc.  It’s a constant struggle to weaken these impulses… especially when they impact our other priorities and relationships.  We cannot win the struggle alone.  We were not created perfect. We were born frail and defective so that we might acknowledge that any good which happens in us or through us is from God.

It takes supernatural strength to combat ego; and we can get that strength from our Lord present in the Eucharist. The sanctifying grace that pours through us when we receive the consecrated host allows us to stop before uttering a word of anger, or engaging in a selfish sin.  Simply put, the Eucharist strengthens us for the daily journey.

2. Praising God first thing in the morning is the most important thing on our daily calendar.

“First things first”, as they say. And since we’ve been blessed to be a member of this one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, we should understand that it’s a privilege and a gift that we can make God the first and most important person in our day by worshipping Him in His temple.  Plus, God asks for the first fruits of our harvest, the first tenth of all our blessings. Going to Mass is offering the first part of our day to the Lord who is the source of all our blessings. It’s the best form of Catholic stewardship.

3. The Mass is my ongoing spiritual formation.

One beautiful thing about the Mass is that it is so drenched in scripture.  Attending Mass daily allows us to soak in God’s Word. Reading and reflecting on the daily scriptures the evening before makes the Mass seem even richer and more fulfilling.  The Mass helps us get a full Catholic education in Christ -- stewardship, the sacraments, the saints, and evangelization -- 260 days a year.  It helps us grown in the Lord a day at a time.

4. The Mass heals.

Every Mass is a healing experience. It heals wounds caused by our sinful nature, it heals our relationship with God and with one another, bringing us closer to our Lord, giving us opportunities to draw near and receive Him not only in the Word, but also in the Blessed Sacrament.

5. You meet your Creator, your friend, your love.

It is good to be a friend and lover of God.  On the day we see Him face-to-face, we will realize that which we have missed throughout our lives.   As Saint Augustine says: “my heart is restless until it rests in You.”  Find your shelter in the wings of the Lord.  Find it, every morning, in His Holy temple. During the day, find it in silent prayer wherever we are.

We will come to yearn for the Lord knowing that our day is incomplete without prayer and worship.  We will find no greater solace than in His Word, in His sacraments, and in surrendering to His love.  In accepting the challenge of meeting Jesus daily in the Eucharist, we will find more joy than ever.

Tips For Making A Good Confession

1) …pray before going into the confessional, try to recollect and remember our sins;

2)  …examine our consciences regularly and thoroughly;

2) …wait our turn in line patiently; be praying and/or reflecting upon the sins we will confess;

3) …come at the time confessions are scheduled, not a few minutes before they are to end;

4) …speak distinctly but not so loudly that we might be overheard;

5) …state our sins clearly and briefly without rambling;

6) …confess all mortal sins in number and kind;

7) …listen carefully to the advice the priest gives;

8) …confess our own sins and not someone else’s;

9) …carefully listen to and remember the penance and be sure to understand it;

10) …use a regular formula for confession so that it is familiar and comfortable;

11) …never be afraid to say something “embarrassing”… just say it;

12) …never worry that the priest will judge us…. he is usually impressed by our courage;

13) …never fear that the priest will not keep our confession secret… he is bound by the Seal;

14) …“tendencies” or “struggles” are not sins;  but it can be good to discuss them with the priest

15) …never leave the confessional before the priest has finished giving absolution;

16) …memorize an Act of Contrition;

17) …answer the priest’s questions briefly if he asks for a clarification;

18) …ask questions if we can’t understand what he means when he tells us something;

19) …keep in mind that sometimes priests can have bad days just like we do;

20) …remember that priests must go to confession too … so they know what we are going through.

99+ Simple and Effective Ways to Evangelize as a Catholic

Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become.  Believe what
you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.

1)      Be proud (in the good sense) of being a Catholic. Live your life with holy boldness.

2)      Focus on what is truly important. Relationships are what’s important. Christian values are important.

3)      Set time apart daily for God. Don’t be afraid to tell others you do that.

4)      Smile a lot.  It makes you happy. It also makes others happy.  It’s a great witness to your Christian joy.  Smiling is a one word Christian philosophy on living.    

5)      Make Mass a habit; try to work daily Mass into your life as frequently as you can.

6)      Say “Thank you” as often as you can.  Expressing gratitude makes you more appreciative of what you have. Gratitude is a beautiful virtue.   It helps make you, and those you thank, happy!  

7)      Choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ; not simply a volunteer: pray, fast, give alms.  Do works of service.  Gently share your faith and explain how it brings you happiness.  

8)      Try always to do things in love.  Let the love you choose be “agape love”… that is, love for the sake of the other.

9)      Keep Sunday’s holy.  Try not to spend money or engage in competitive organized sports on the Sabbath.  Try not to do things that require others to work on Sunday.  

10)  Forgive others, sincerely.  

Ways to Keep the Lord’s Day Holy
by Loving God, Family, & Neighbor

These are some suggested ideas from which you can choose
Last updated 4/7/11

Before Sunday & In Preparation for Sunday

• Houseclean, straighten up, refuel the car, and prepare clothing, do laundry, shop, etc.
• Buy or cut fresh flowers on Saturday to adorn the house through the week
• Prepare Sunday meals in advance to the extent possible.
• Avoid going to bed too late Saturday evening so as to be tired on Sunday.

Things You Can Do:

• Engage in activities that contribute to greater spirituality.
• Attend Mass; especially as a family. Dress up.  Get there are few minutes early and stay a few minutes after to share personal time with God.
• Dedicate an hour on Sunday, outside of Mass, to prayer.
• Spends some time before the Blessed Sacrament.
• Pray the Rosary (as a family).
• Devote time to the Scriptures.
• Pope Benedict XVI suggests reading “Story of a Soul”, the autobiography of St. Theresa of Lisieux. He suggests we re-discover this “little-great treasure”, calling it a a luminous commentary on the Gospel fully lived”.  Maybe read a chapter each Sunday.
• Offer expressions of praise and thanksgiving to God.
• Make Sunday a special day for the family, something to which your children will look forward to. Create some Sunday traditions the kids will remember when they get older and have their own children.
• Share a special Sunday meal. Dress the table nicely. Pray before and after eating.
• Wash the dishes together.
• Have a cookout.
• Have a picnic.
• Read a wholesome book.
• Have a Cream Tea and dessert on Sunday afternoons. Invite other Catholics over and socialize a bit.
• Do things you find relaxing, for the sake of relaxing… like gardening, mowing, etc.
• Spend time with family & friends
• Get a good night’s rest and rest, physically, during the day.
• Hang around with family members sharing in conversation.
• Converse via phone with distant family members and friends
• Visit the sick and aged shut-ins.
• Take a walk in the park
• Care for the Earth…maybe pick up litter as a family or some other creative ideas.
• Write thank you notes
• Play cards or board games together, especially those that invite conversation.
• Take a leisurely Sunday drive, enjoy the landscape.
• Sing together
• Engage in crafts together.
• If you have a fireplace, build a fire and read.