c_hess23

Someone drew my attention to this video of a Catholic lady who is complaining of feeling empty after returning from Mass. Her emptiness is coming from the fact that the priest did not break the Word of God well. 1. Acknowledgement: First, I must commend the lady for speaking up. It is possible that there are other Catholics who feel the same way but have not been courageous enough to make their feelings known either privately or publicly as this lady chose to. 2. The Mass is first a sacrifice, not a performance: Second and very importantly, let me state clearly that at its core, the Holy Mass is the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, not a lecture or motivational talk. If the focus shifts only to how inspiring or motivational the priest is in his homily, we risk misunderstanding what the Mass truly is. 3. The Eucharist is the true nourishment: In the Gospel according to John, Jesus teaches that His Body and Blood are true food and drink. Even if the homily is weak from our human perspective, Christ is still fully present - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. No Mass is spiritually “empty” where the Eucharist is received with faith. 3. However, homily does matter: The Church teaches that the homily is an integral part of the liturgy. Priests have a real responsibility to break open the Word of God in a way that nourishes the faithful. Poor preaching can indeed make it harder for people to connect and grow. 4. Ongoing formation for priests is important: The lady's suggestion about ongoing pastoral formation is not misplaced. Priests should continually grow - in Scripture, theology, and communication skills. The people of God deserve preaching that is clear, faithful, and relevant. 5. But spiritual fruit also depends on disposition: Let it be made clear also that the grace we receive at Mass is not automatic in its fruits. Interior preparation matters: arriving to Mass early and saying a prayer before Mass, recollection, openness of heart. Sometimes “emptiness” is not only about what is given, but also about how it is received. Recall the parable of the sower in the Gospel. 6. Faith is not always felt: The other thing to keep in mind is that spiritual life is not built on feelings alone. There are moments of consolation and moments of dryness. The saints often experienced “emptiness” even in deep union with God. Lack of emotional satisfaction does not always mean lack of grace or poor homily quality. 7. The danger of a consumer mentality: When we begin to evaluate the Mass primarily by how it “made me feel,” we risk approaching it like a product rather than a mystery (this is one of the dangers of pentecostalism). The liturgy is not centered on us, but on God. 8. A call to deeper participation: I think the video calls all of us, without exception, to a deeper and active participation. Active participation is interior: preparation, listening, offering oneself, uniting one’s life to Christ’s sacrifice. When this happens, we will know that every Mass can be profoundly nourishing. 9. In Summary: Let me mention again that he lady's concern is valid - priests must strive to prepare, preach well, and communicate the Gospel effectively. But at the same time, the fullness of the Mass cannot be reduced to the 'quality' of a homily (let's also keep in mind that quality here is relative). Christ is always present and always giving Himself. The invitation is to meet Him there - with faith, disposition, preparation, and openness. Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

🚨 JUST IN: Hillary Clinton in Germany rips open borders, demands a halt to mass 3rd world migration and secure borders "It went too far! It's been disruptive and destabilizing!" When's the left calling her a Nazi?!

♰ Miracle at Lourdes, France 🇫🇷 ♰ 🇻🇦 Nostra Domina de Lourdes ora pro nobis 🙏 🇫🇷 Notre Dame de Lourdes priez pour nous 🙏 🇺🇸 Our Lady of Lourdes pray for us 🙏 Courtesy parousiamedia

Presbyterian Minister: If Jesus was here today he might have said "blessed are those who end their pregnancies."

I would bet that if the HOF votes were public very few of the assholes that did not vote for Bill Belichick would come forward..already some are lying about their vote