To What Shall I Compare the Mass?

The closest comparison to the Mass is probably the parable of the Wedding Feast that we find in the Gospels (Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24). It is not only a beautiful way but a fun way to look at Holy Mass.

My mind traveled to yet another comparison—one that is much lesser than the ones proclaimed by Jesus, like the Wedding Banquet—but one that helped me to pray through the Liturgy.

Music

I was at Mass, singing Christmas songs for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God. As I sang, I was overcome by the music and the meaning behind the lyrics. It was so beautiful and enjoyable. It felt almost like I was in the chorus of a musical, singing with all the parishioners around me, and knowing that the saints and angels were singing as well. To me, it all looked and sounded like some awesome musical number.

I have said before that I wish my life was a musical. Random singing. Conflicts that are easily resolved. Fun dancing. Dramatic dialogue. Sweet romance. In a sense, I felt like I was a small part of this grand musical in heaven, though a musical is such an itty-bitty comparison to the Mass.

In musicals, there are those—the actors and singers—who make up the show. Then, there is an audience. Churches sort of resemble an audience in which the pews are where the congregation sits and watches the “show” on the altar. Yet, no matter how beautiful of a musical it may be for us to watch, it is actually a musical that we are called to play a part in.

Sunday Mass typically starts with an opening song; one of which all are a part of. From the choir that may be in the balcony above us, to the priest, possible deacons, and possible altar servers, and of course, the congregation.

Congregation

Congregation. That is an interesting word. It is not called an “audience” in which we sit in an auditorium and just watch the show. Rather, we are called to be a role in the musical. The congregation—those gathered for the Lord—are called to sing! And their singing is a prayer. In a musical, one may sing beautiful songs, just as we may sing all or sorts of melodies at Mass. But we are called to pray the singing and pay attention to the words that come forth from the mouths that God gave us. St. Augustine even says that singing is praying twice.

Think through all of the hand motions and positions. We bless ourselves when entering the scene. We are in constant motion from standing to sitting, to kneeling, and so forth. All the while asking, for “you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned…pray for me to the Lord our God.” Upon this, we glorify God by singing the Gloria, which we know is with all the angels and saints.

There is, of course, listening to the Word of God and the priest who gives a unique homily. So much action! There is the presentation of the gifts—the suspense—in which we anticipate the bread and wine to become the very flesh and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we greet others with a sign of peace and we pray the “Our Father” together. So much action!

Jesus is the true “lead” of this musical. Spectacular! All the attention has been faced toward the altar. And He, whom we have been singing about and anticipating, ready with hungry hearts, filled with the Holy Spirit, at last, get to see the consecration of the host and wine.

Several priests like to sing the Liturgy of the Eucharist, including the consecration. In my dramatic, musical nerd, theater geek mind, I think that the cool part is that the Mass is not a solo. Not at all! The Mass is a duet or a dialogue between me and the priest (who is in the person of Jesus Christ). “Lord have mercy,” the priest says. “Lord have mercy,” we repeat back to him. “The Lord be with you,” the priest says. “And with your spirit,” we reply. “Lift up your hearts,” the priest says to us. “We lift them up to the Lord,” we say in return. Every word we speak is a dialogue between us and Jesus. Especially when we receive Jesus the Eucharist, the priest says, “The Body of Christ.” And it is we who respond, “Amen!” It is our “yes” and the high point of the said “musical” and it becomes so catchy, we want to listen to and sing this high point song over and over again. This is just as we who attend Mass want to receive Jesus over and over again. Receiving Him is the climax! It is the epitome of the love story in which we get to hug the Eucharistic Jesus and rest in Him.

A Dramatic Dialogue

It is then, that I have a most dramatic dialogue with Jesus who is inside of me. My heart sings with gratitude. Sometimes my heart stops singing because it gets distracted by my other thoughts, what I want to eat after Mass, looking at others as they go up the communion line, and so forth. But the Lord tenderly calls out in me, and I return my attention to Him, the star of the “show.”

And that is also what makes the musical comparison only a shadow of reality—in a musical we are actors in a show. In the Mass, we are chosen instruments of God. The part that we play is done according to our free will. We are not pretending or acting. We are living and choosing. If we can imagine the Mass as the greatest musical number there could ever be on earth, just think of what the stunning musical is like in heaven!