Sometimes while driving to work, I feel attentive, but when I arrive at my destination, I can’t remember anything about the drive or surroundings. My head was definitely somewhere else.
How often does this happen at church? We go to church, but upon reflection, we don’t remember much about the Mass or the homily. Our head was somewhere else. Maybe making mental to-do lists, or planning what we’re going to do over the rest of the day, or going over discussions in our head that we had earlier in the week. We are everywhere but present with God in His house.
Now imagine how we’d feel if we invited someone to our house but they came late, they didn’t participate in the conversation, they seemed distracted, and then they left early. I imagine we would feel quite offended and would probably think twice about inviting that person back to our home again.
Fortunately, God is not like us, and He keeps inviting us back. He wants to be with us and to be available to hear our wants and our needs and to give us His love. And, to make it even more special, we have the privilege of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. He is literally giving Himself to us every time we go to Communion.
God’s invitation to join Him at Mass is an incredible opportunity to grow and be nourished spiritually and emotionally. To reap the full benefits of this experience and to be respectful of all who have accepted His invitation to attend Mass, we should try to come on time, be present in the moment, and stay until it’s concluded. We have so much to gain by participating fully with our community, listening to God’s message, and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. We are truly blessed!
