How Do I Explain The Mass?

[TotusTuusMaria]

How do you explain the Mass to someone who knows practically nothing about Christianity besides that Jesus died for us? How do I define the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to someone who is much like a child in understanding? I need simple words that explain in a great way what the Mass is and why it is important. All of my attempts seem to fail.

Thank you.

[prose]

I tell my 3 year old that it is a special time that Jesus comes to us in a way that he doesn't anywhere else.

[Resurrexi]

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1323219' date='Jul 10 2007, 05:03 PM']The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us.[/quote]
All of which means virtually nothing to a person with no catechesis.

STM, I'm not trying to pick on you, but why do you always have to give heavy, rigid theological answers to simple questions, even questions specifically requesting a simple response? Do you feel the need to prove that you know theology or that you can "play with the big leagues"? No one here would doubt it if you would give answers that fit the questions. The mark of true intelligence isn't knowledge, it's being able to communicate knowledge effectively.

TTM, I'd explain that the Mass is a memorial of Christ's death that allows us to share in His own Death and Resurrection and helps us to get to heaven by joining us to Him, since we receive Him in the Eucharist.

[Noel's angel]

I'd say it's the closest we can get to Jesus on earth. It's the greates gift Christ gave us. I'd tell your friend to read about the Last Supper and use that to explain the Mass. It was of course at the Last Supper that Jesus gave us the command to 'Do this in rememberence of me' so reading one of the accounts of the Last Supper might help as a springboard.

Edited July 10, 2007 by Noel's angel

[Noel's angel]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1323219' date='Jul 10 2007, 11:03 PM']The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us.[/quote]

Nice copy and paste.......

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1323275' date='Jul 10 2007, 04:52 PM']All of which means virtually nothing to a person with no catechesis.

STM, I'm not trying to pick on you, but why do you always have to give heavy, rigid theological answers to simple questions, even questions specifically requesting a simple response? Do you feel the need to prove that you know theology or that you can "play with the big leagues"? No one here would doubt it if you would give answers that fit the questions. The mark of true intelligence isn't knowledge, it's being able to communicate knowledge effectively.

TTM, I'd explain that the Mass is a memorial of Christ's death that allows us to share in His own Death and Resurrection and helps us to get to heaven by joining us to Him, since we receive Him in the Eucharist.[/quote]

I didn't make that up myself... I took it from a prayer from the Breviary which, when I heard it, though it was the best explanation of what the Mass was that I had ever heard.

[quote]Nice copy and paste....... mellow.gif[/quote]

Yep... I don't like to make up my own stuff. If someone asks me a question that can be answered using something from an authoritative magisterial document or the catechism of from a prayer contained in the Liturgy, I'd much rather use it.

Another answer to what the Mass is can be found in the Baltimore Catechism No. 3:

"The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ."

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1323337' date='Jul 10 2007, 06:27 PM']I didn't make that up myself... I took it from a prayer from the Breviary which, when I heard it, though it was the best explanation of what the Mass was that I had ever heard.
Yep... I don't like to make up my own stuff. If someone asks me a question that can be answered using something from an authoritative magisterial document or the catechism of from a prayer contained in the Liturgy, I'd much rather use it.[/quote]


Yes, part of the problem is that you took it straight from a theological source. It's a good explanation, sure, but not to someone who doesn't have any real background in Christianity. Citing magisterial documents is perfectly fine, but you have to keep your audience in mind. Jesus did.

[God Conquers]

Mass is like our family dinner. My family needs to get together, to eat and share our lives one another in order to truly be a family. Just like that, as Catholics we need to get together with each other and God on a regular basis, to share our lives and a meal which sustains us spiritually as individuals and as a family.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='God Conquers' post='1323397' date='Jul 10 2007, 05:59 PM']Mass is like our family dinner. My family needs to get together, to eat and share our lives one another in order to truly be a family. Just like that, as Catholics we need to get together with each other and God on a regular basis, to share our lives and a meal which sustains us spiritually as individuals and as a family.[/quote]

Errrrrr....

The Mass is not a "communal meal"

"The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross.

The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross because the offering and the priest are the same -- Christ our Blessed Lord; and the ends for which the sacrifice of the Mass is offered are the same as those of the sacrifice of the Cross.

The ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was offered were:

1. 1st. To honor and glorify God;
2. 2nd. To thank Him for all the graces bestowed on the whole world;
3. 3rd. To satisfy God's justice for the sins of men;
4. 4th. To obtain all graces and blessings.

The fruits of the Mass are distributed thus:

1. The first benefit is bestowed on the priest who says the Mass;
2. The second on the person for whom the Mass is said, or for the intention for which it is said;
3. The third on those who are present at the Mass, and particularly on those who serve it, and
4. The fourth on all the faithful who are in communion with the Church."

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1323403' date='Jul 10 2007, 07:03 PM']Errrrrr....

The Mass is not a "communal meal"[/quote]

The Mass has multiple aspects, one of which is the Eucharistic meal for the Church community.

[goldenchild17]

[quote name='TotusTuusMaria' post='1323202' date='Jul 10 2007, 03:54 PM']How do you explain the Mass to someone who knows practically nothing about Christianity besides that Jesus died for us? How do I define the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to someone who is much like a child in understanding? I need simple words that explain in a great way what the Mass is and why it is important. All of my attempts seem to fail.

Thank you.[/quote]
Point out that the Last Supper and the Crucifixion should not be viewed as two separate events, but as one and the same event. If this can be understood then it may be easier to then talk about how the Sacrifice of the Mass is not just a re-presentation of the Last Supper but of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion together.

I'm not sure if this can be explained so simply like this and be understood. I'm not exactly the best at simply and concise answers to everything .

Edited July 10, 2007 by goldenchild17

[tojo]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1323408' date='Jul 10 2007, 07:05 PM']The Mass has multiple aspects, one of which is the Eucharistic meal for the Church community.[/quote]


And take it from a convert, its one of the best ways to explain it to the uninformed.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='tomasio127' post='1323419' date='Jul 10 2007, 07:15 PM']And take it from a convert, its one of the best ways to explain it to the uninformed.[/quote]
Yep, and it doesn't detract from the other aspects unless you go out of your way to leave it that way.

I would say, of course, that presenting it [i]only[/i] as a communal meal is misleading. As one aspect among many, though, it's excellent.

[StColette]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1323403' date='Jul 10 2007, 06:03 PM']Errrrrr....

The Mass is not a "communal meal"[/quote]

I'm in agreement with Micah, that the Mass is in fact a communal meal. In "Spirit of the Liturgy" by Pope Benedict XVI (written when Cardinal Ratzinger) speaks of the Mass as a communal meal. In fact this is one of his main focuses with the book to discuss the communal aspect of the Mass. But the Mass is just not a communal meal, it is same sacrifice of Christ. The Mass is both not one or the other.