A House Inside a House: A Fresh Look at the Mass

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When entering a Catholic church, I like the thought that I am entering God’s own house. After all, it truly is His home, living there most literally in the Blessed Sacrament, that is, the Eucharist. He is present inside the tabernacle and dwells within the home 24/7.

God’s House

It is interesting that most Catholic churches have a gathering space that is almost like the foyer of a home. Then, there is the actual church and/or chapel, which resembles a great hall with many seats for a wedding banquet, the altar serving as the table. Then, there is the sacristy, which makes me think of a kitchen as preparations for Mass take place there. Then, many churches have a cry room/bathroom/bridal room, as all houses have at least one restroom.

The churches have different decorations and architecture. Some churches have a balcony. Often, there are statues of different saints with votive candles. There are pictures and artwork of those who live with God in His house. Perhaps a picture of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Or a statue of the Blessed Mother. The church is typically beautiful. Stained glass. Icons. Tiled floors. Paintings and statues. Mosaics. A crucifix.

Then, there are Catholic churches that are not exactly breath-taking, just as some houses are not as nice-looking as others. I think of the more modern, plain type of church. Ones that are rather empty on décor and simplistic in style. Still, it is a Catholic church and Jesus is still present, living there 24/7.

My Role

Now that I have established that I find a Catholic church to be God’s house, I must also establish my position or “role” in God’s house. If God is my Father; if Jesus is my friend; if the Holy Spirit is the dear Love given to me, then God’s house is my house. I am a daughter of God and a daughter has certain duties in her Father’s house. For example, I play a prominent role when my Father has His weekly feast. He actually has feasts going on every day, all across the world at His different homes, whether it is at the beautiful stained-glass church or modern plain one. I will just focus on the house (parish) I go to on Sundays.

It is a part of my duty and my delight to open the door to God’s house and welcome friends, familiar faces, visitors, or strangers. In other words, I am a greeter, or what my parish calls, a “Solanus Casey Door Opener.” I welcome my brothers and sisters into our Father’s dwelling place.

Other Roles in Our Father’s House

I have many brothers and sisters who also play a prominent role in keeping our Father’s house and attending to our guests. For example, ushers ensure that attendants find a place to sit at the banquet, welcoming both early and latecomers. They ensure that the feast runs smoothly as they guide guests, and collect the tokens and gifts for our Father. The tokens and gifts are the collections of monetary donations to support God’s house. Other gifts are requested throughout the year such as Christmas presents for the poor, food collections for the hungry, and support for other houses of God that are in need around the world.

Not only are there ushers, but there are altar servers who attend the banquet table. The lectors read from the Father’s Word. The Word that is God (John 1:1). We call it the Bible and read from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. St. Augustine would explain that this is so we may find our Savior, Jesus, hidden in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament. The cantor or music minister leads in all the songs and the responsorial from the Book of Psalms. United with the choir of angels in heaven, they make music and sing.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are like little knights, whose job it is to cautiously and carefully deliver the Eucharist to the attendants. They both give the Eucharist to the congregation and protect the Eucharist.

And then there is often a servant (who we call “deacon”) who proclaims the Gospel which is the good news that the kingdom of heaven is here! He preaches the Word that is with God (John 1:1). He proclaims the Word during the first part of the liturgy in preparation for the second part of the liturgy when the Word will become flesh (John 1:14).

The Priest

The Word becomes flesh through the priest. Without the priest, we would have no food and no cleansing of our sins. Our priests have a wonderful role and that explains why we need more priests. The priest acts in the person of Jesus Christ! God forgives our sins through the priest. He ministers to and speaks to us through the priest. He blesses the congregation through the priest. He offers Himself on the cross through the priest. He becomes flesh and blood through the priest.

When the feast begins with music, my heart is ready to sing with the voice that our Father gave me. My eyes focus on the priest and his attendants as he processes to the altar and kisses the “table” upon which we will bring bread and wine.

The priest cleanses me with the Holy Spirit and with fire, forgiving all of my venial sins, so I may be purely washed and clean for my Father, as I was at my baptism.

I participate in the banquet. I listen to the priest speak. Sometimes the priest is casting jewels on us children. Unfortunately, sometimes he casts his pearls upon swine (Matthew 7:6), that is when I do not listen to or heed the homily. Other times, the priest or deacon may have no jewels at all and may simply be casting seeds that will not grow. In other words, his efforts fall through the cracks.

After the homily, I stand up readily to pronounce my covenant with my Father. These are the words of the creed in which I outwardly and interiorly renew my belief and commitment to our dear Father. Then the priest prays and intercedes with all the sons and daughters praying in union with the angels and saints and those in other houses throughout the world.

The Word Becomes Flesh

The Word which was proclaimed during the first part of the banquet is now going to become flesh in which the sons and daughters will partake. A few children come with gifts to the altar, presenting the bread and wine.

The priest, in the person of Jesus, takes the bread and wine, offers it to the Father, and in doing so, offers to all of us brothers and sisters the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity that He is. This is when I am no longer just in God’s house.

It is when God enters my house.

Yes! We must not forget that there is another house. A much smaller one. A much less marvelous one. It is my very own body. Yet, Jesus prefers to visit with me where I am. That is why He made Himself so available as bread and wine. So that by consuming Him, He would enter my house.

My House

I tell Jesus blatantly with my other brothers and sisters saying, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Often, when Jesus enters my house at Holy Communion, I get excited that the King of Kings and the love of my life is coming to me. Then, I often get embarrassed or worried about the condition my house is in. My house gets messy quickly! So many sins. Scars and open wounds. And I do not always clean up my mess. That is why, before receiving Jesus, I ask His Mother to help me clean my house. She grabs a broom and sweeps up the dust. She not only leaves it clean but leaves vases of roses throughout the home.

On the outside of the house, it looks perfectly clean and orderly. I wear my finest clothes and jewels when visiting Jesus’ house. Only, Jesus will not just see me but will visit inside me.

I love that moment when He knocks on the door to my house with the words, “The Body of Christ.” I hastily open the door with an “Amen.” Then Jesus enters the door and pulls me close to Him. We firmly embrace each other.

“You are here,” I may say to Him after a long week since last Sunday. “I missed You.”

“I am here,” He says. “And I missed you.”

Even if it is a daily Mass, I long to embrace and kiss my dear Jesus on the cheek. I may ask Him to sit down in my house—on a sofa typically—so that we can talk close together and have the most heart-to-heart of conversations.

Sometimes I am a terrible hostess. I do not acknowledge that Jesus entered my house. I may greet Him, but quickly get distracted or I may even fall asleep. Poor Jesus. But He is used to being ignored or unnoticed. That is because it is worth it to Him just to be with me. Even if it is sleepy me, or hyper me, or frustrated me. Even when I do not recognize who is inside of my house and I think that He must be an unnoteworthy gardener as Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was just the gardener while she wept at the tomb (John 20:15).

Relish Jesus’s Presence

Jesus and I have lots of fun, or we simply relish each other’s presence. We may laugh and joke. I may thank Him over and over again for coming and offer Him the roses that His mother gave me. At some point, He may look at me very seriously and ask me if I have a specific intention for Him during this visit. I may tell Him one thing or list a bunch of people in need, or I tell Him that His Mother holds all of my intentions (which I highly suggest doing. Giving Mary our prayer intentions take the pressure off of us and onto our loving Mother, who is certain to give them to her Son.)

Before we know it, the feast has ended. Though I cannot see them, I may look up at the angels and saints as their feast is without end. I know that one day, I will join the everlasting banquet. Until then, may we continue to enter God’s house and in doing so, may God enter our house.

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3 thoughts on “A House Inside a House: A Fresh Look at the Mass”

  1. Pingback: One of the Most Exciting Works Of Fiction Ever Is a Catholic Novel, Pray It Forward for the Purgatorians, and More Great Links! - JP2 Catholic Radio

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  3. When I started reading your article, I was reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 regarding the end times.

    “23 If anyone says to you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 False messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders so great as to deceive, if that were possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told it to you beforehand. 26 So if they say to you, ‘He is in the desert,’ do not go out there; if they say, ‘He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.”

    Could Jesus be referring to the tabernacle?
    After all, we profess twice during mass that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God.

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