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Preparing Yourself for Mass

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Preparing Yourself for the Mass, formerly Meditations Before Mass, by Romano Guardini, is a book discussing the meaning, symbolism and spirituality of the Mass. He talks about the proper way to approach the Mass, its significance, the difference between the arena of the Mass and the "marketplace" of the world, the symbolism of the words spoken, artifacts used, etc. He also discusses, interwoven in this, the significance of appearance, deportment and "external symbolism" in the body of a man - spiritual vs "worldly" man - in other words, how our outer appearance affects our inner state, and vice versa. It is a very beautiful meditation on the importance of atmosphere, appearance, dignity and respect, and the importance of being able to discern chaos, bad taste, noise, affliction and those things which mitigate against right relationship with God. This is very important for the age we live in, in which things spiritual are often under severe attack. Highly recommended.

Today, it seems there is a new book about MASS every few weeks. It is about time! We need to know, in the Catholic Church, what Mass is all about, and these new books, written by different people, are appealing to many other different people. We all needed that.

I buy every book with Mass in the title. I am a convert and I want to know, need to know, all I can learn about Mass, and the history of the Church. It is a thrilling thing for me to discover that in 155 AD, Saint Justin Martyr wrote a letter to Antoninus Plus, about the The Catholic Mass. Every detail of the worship, the sitting, the standing, words said, are mentioned in detail. Such great history. You might find that on You Tube.

I bought an older book - not ancient but 1939 - written by Romano Guardini called PREPARING YOURSELF FOR MASS. I have many of Romano Guardini's books. A friend told me this one was a necessary book for my library on the Church. He was right! This book is written on thirty-two talks given to his parishioners by Monsignor Guardini, over a few months time. They taught how to prepare prayerfully for Mass. Monsignor had teachings on conquering boredom, wandering attention, kneeling and standing, knowing what their meaning was, the obstacles of prayer, overcoming them, the right way to receive Communion, making the Sign of the Cross and dozens of other ways to grow holier, with every Mass you attend.

As you begin to purchase these newer books, and do that, too, take a look at the Guardini book. This was a favorite of Pope Benedict XVI. We can't know too much about Mass!

[Just posted a review this week, (below) for my hardcover, out-of-print edition of "MEDITATIONS BEFORE MASS." Here it is, same book, new title, reasonably priced, "in stock," in attractive soft-cover format. (Gotta get me a Kindle.) If you don't love this book, so help me I'll pay for your copy: Mine has an introduction by the late priest and professor (at Harvard, Yale and Notre Dame) fr. Henri Nouwen (himself author of books that continue to sell in the millions). Fr. Nouwen said this was his "most precious book in seminary" and that he continued to "read from it daily." (he died in 1997 and was buried here in Canada). My review then, from Sunday last:]

"Nadal won the match," said my wife, greeting me on my return from Mass. "And he was wearing a watch worth 500 thousand dollars!" (This while winning his 5th French Open - against a Swede who is the spitting image of our son "Aaron".)

Irene goes to a `modern' Catholic church (no kneelers) St. Bernadette's - six blocks from home; I attend "Holy Cross" the most picturesque little stone church you-ever-did-see: it sits on a hill, in "old St. Boniface" beneath spreading oak trees; an all-stone design that looks like an olde English Catholic church, circa 1300. Its cornerstone was laid in 1922; I keep meeting women (I did again today) who say "I've been attending Mass here for 50 years! I was married here!"

On my way out of Mass minutes ago, I spoke with "Father Andy" a young but saintly man who is REALLY black -- he's from "The Republic of Congo" [where "for a time," he says, all the newborn boys were being named "George" or "Ali" after a certain "rumble in the jungle" that occurred there 30 years ago; see "Wikipedia" for "Kinshasa Zaire"). As I shook his hand, I said to Fr Andy, "You're the only person I know, who knows what happened in '55 - and NOT 1955!"

He laughed, flashing the most perfect set of brilliantly white teeth that I have ever seen. I'd caught his reference to the "very first written record" of "the night our Lord was betrayed" [when] "he took a loaf of bread, and blessed it saying . . ." -- those words written down in the spring of 55 by a former murderer named "Saul" - someone who literally had the first "conversion on the road to Damascus."

Just before Mass, I read a chapter from this book - something actually recommended by the author (someone who was booted out of the University of Berlin when the Nazis took power). Romano Guardini died in 1968; his writings are as timeless (and as perfect)as Augustine's; coincidentally (or maybe not!) in place of Father's "weekly message which will return next week," there is a quote from that first "Archbishop of Hippo" (North Africa, circa 400. I'll quote it later, if I may.)

The passage I read this morning which went straight to my heart was this one (see if this doesn't speak to your life experience too). P. 31, ending his chapter titled, "Composure and Action."

"Such composure is all the more necessary since liturgical action is devoid of that which otherwise enforces attention: namely utility. When I seat myself at my desk and pick up a manuscript, my attention naturally passes to it; when I do a job in my workshop, I unconsciously pull myself together; otherwise it will miscarry.

"Everywhere some utilitarian purpose to be accomplished binds my attention. In the Mass, there are no such PURPOSES. The believer simply steps into the presence of his God and remains there for Him. The Liturgy is a thing of exalted PURPOSELESSNESS, but it is filled with the sense of sacred serving, and over it, reigns the sublimity of God.

"Here composure means everything. Hence it must be willed and practiced. Otherwise our `service' grows dull, indolent, careless - an insult to divine Majesty."

[This chapter, No 5 "Composure & Action" had begun with the words:]

"Just as proper speech and hearing emerge from silence, proper bearing and good action emerge only from composure. Action is (always) more than mere external happening. It has innumerable levels, as many as life itself. There ARE purely external functions, such as turning on a light: if the switch [works] properly the light burns without further ado. But if I am performing some real task, particularly something important, I must concentrate on it or there will be mistakes.

"In the relations between people - service, friendship, love - in everything that belongs to our sphere of life and our work, work is genuine only in the degree that the doer inwardly participates in it.

"Colloquial speech has several telling expressions for this: "His heart isn't in it," or He is "completely absorbed" in his work . . .

"The nobler, the more difficult or important the task to be accomplished, the more completely I am the whole person. To gaze full of faith at the altar means a great deal more than merely to look up in order to see how far the sacred ceremony has progressed.

"Once, in the Cathedral of Monreale in Sicily I had the wonderful experience of watching the believers participate in the blessing of the fire of of the Paschal Candle on Easter Saturday. The ceremonies lasted over five hours and were not yet finished when I had to leave; the people had no books and they did not recite the rosary; they only gazed - but with all of their souls."

On the Holy Cross bulletin, in place of "father's weekly message" ("will return next week") are these words:

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and the sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.

-- Saint Augustine of Hippo

This book is a must for anyone who wishes to deepen his or her understanding of the Mass, and to participate more fully in its spiritual dimensions. One cannot read this book without coming away with an increased sense of the sacred.

Guardini has done it again. His writing style is always so clear and lucid. He elevates the spirit whenever he puts pen to paper, and never more beautifully than in "Preparing Yourself For Mass."

I have an older copy of this terrific book by Msgr. Guardini and am very happy to see it republished. It has helped me greatly improve my attention and participation in Mass. Msgr. Guardini was in the practice of delivering short talks before Sunday Mass to his parishoiners and the best of them are collected here.