A BULLETIN MINI SERIES:

EXPRESSING REVERENCE IN OUR CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST

DRESSING FOR MASS

What we wear can be an indication of our attitude toward something. The clothes that we choose to wear to church can reveal our respect-level for what is happening there. God deserves our BEST and when we worship Him we want to present ourselves to Him in an appropriate way that truly represents our reverence. Too casual a form of dress or even an unkempt look reveals that the Mass is not a special occasion but possibly something we just have to do. It has become a routine. It has been argued that God does not really care about what we wear and maybe this is true. But worship is the reverence WE give to HIM. Do we wear clothes that reveal our reverence and desire to give the Lord our best? Just something to think about!

BEING ON TIME AND STAYING TO THE END

Our time for arrival for Mass and when we leave is an expression of our reverence. If Mass has simply become a routine or an obligation to be fulfilled, we will give it only the minimum amount of time we thing is REQUIRED. If we truly have a reverence and a respect for the Eucharist and we are truly grateful to God, we will arrive on time --- perhaps even a little early --- and will remain there until the Mass is ended at the conclusion of the closing song. Arriving just in time to hear the reading of the Gospel and leaving immediately after communion is like telling God we do not have but a minimum of time for Him! In our attendance at Mass do we really give God the appropriate amount of time to truly worship Him or have we simply given Him "just enough" to fulfill the obligation?

Next: Entrance Rituals and Our Participation