Get ready, because if you really want it to, it will change your life.
Okay, so the Church says Mass is good for us, but what is Mass? Why do we say, "I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof?" Why do we touch our forehead, mouth and chest before the Gospel? (Is that like another Sign of the Cross?) And what does Father say when we are all kneeling in silence?
If you ever wondered about Mass beyond the motions, then you don't want to miss Mass in Slow Motion on Sunday, January 28 at 2 p.m. in the church.
Now, you could be thinking, "Mass is slow enough, why would someone want to go to one 'in slow motion'?" This occasion is more about pausing and explaining the Mass, rather than just saying it more slowly. Father O'Keeffe will celebrate Mass with the congregation while stopping at certain moments to give perspective and explain each particular part.
What kind of awesome things might you realize? In a Lighthouse Catholic Media production titled, "True Worship," Father Mike Schmitz explains some of the awesomeness of the Mass. Father Schmitz describes the moment when a priest lays his hands over the gifts at the altar, and prays for the power of the Holy Spirit to come down upon the gifts and make them into the body and blood of Jesus. He then draws the parallel between that moment and the story of the Angel Gabriel coming to Mary in Sacred Scripture. He explains, "It's the same moment as when the Holy Spirit came over Mary and she conceived in her womb Jesus, and what will happen is He will step off this altar into you and you will be in the place of Mary carrying Christ into the world."
Bring someone. Mass in Slow Motion, is not to explain the Mass because it's complicated and confusing, but because it's rich. When discovering the richness and realness of the Mass, people don't want to just keep it to themselves; they want to share it. This is an excellent opportunity for inviting friends who may have asked you questions about being Catholic, or a family member who maybe stop attending Mass because they lost the meaning of it. Inviting someone is not easy, but it could be the first step in a whole new journey toward God that they've never experienced.
So come join us at Mass in Slow Motion! Get ready, because if you really want it to ... it will change your life.