[Reddit]: Somebody Asked How to Make Mass Come Alive. I Answered…

Somebody had asked how to make Sunday mass come alive. My answer …

Focus on the liturgy. The words. Print them out in advance, or get a Sunday missal for you to carry with you. Look specifically at the unique Prayers of the priest, at the Collect, Offertory, and after Communion. Each of these is different, and the latest translation is extremely beautiful and orthodox. Also, study the readings in advance. Also, study the texts that make up the antiphons, whether it be Roman Missal or the Roman Gradual. Listen to the chants in the Roman Gradual in advance (via YouTube). Meditate upon these all, and see how these all fit together, complement one another, highlight what God is saying to you in the moment. Use the Catechism/Didache Bible to see how the Church interprets these texts.

Do this while making a weekly Holy Hour, preferably at an adoration chapel near you.

If you do this, when the actual Sunday liturgy occurs, you will not be swayed. Disheartened by the music choices, perhaps, but not swayed. A NO liturgy will come alive for you, and you will see the permanence of Christ in His church, even if some of its members have disregarded the traditions that had been passed down.

It’s like seeing a high school production of Hamlet. Nobody expects perfection. Nobody expects that they will get it right. But the more familiar you are with the text, the more you will appreciate the play, even if the performances are not where they should be.