12 June 08
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Summer is finally here! We take joy in the warmth and longer hours of daylight, and in the flourishing of the fruits of the earth. With the end of the school year, perhaps we have changed our schedules, taking advantage of the feeling of freedom from school’s regular discipline. I pray that the freedom of summer does not make us think that the discipline of faith may also be relaxed. Even when we travel away from home, as faithful Catholics we must attend Sunday Mass diligently. Indeed, if summer has lightened our schedules at all, we might even consider attending a weekday Mass as well!
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not an arbitrary set of actions and words, but the right worship of Jesus Christ, His Father, and the Holy Spirit, in the way He Himself taught us (CCC, 1077ff). We worship, not so that we will satisfy Him who lacks nothing in Himself, but so that He may satisfy us, His children, with all good things (CCC, 1083). When we worship God rightly, in obedience to His own paschal model and sacrifice, we cooperate with the transforming grace first given to us in Baptism. We allow God to make of us His holy People. The whole point to the Mass is that we participate in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross; that we become Christ, who became man for us (CCC, 1109). The Mass makes us holy; the Mass plants in us Christ’s peace and joy.
Within the Mass, we adore our Lord and devote ourselves to His praise and service by our “fully conscious and active participation” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10) in the Liturgy of the Word and of the Eucharist. “Participation” does not mean primarily exterior action. It is not “having something to do” at the Mass. It begins with interior action: being totally present to Christ in all the five ways He is present to us in the Mass (CCC, 1088).
This requires, first of all, that we be properly disposed to participate; that is, that we prepare ourselves morally, interiorly, and communally to be united with Christ. Our moral preparation must include regular examination of conscience, and reception of the Sacrament of Confession, in which Christ heals our inability to love Him as He loves us. We should not present ourselves to receive His Body and Blood unworthily, but make use of the means He has given to us to be fully united with Him. Our interior preparation is daily prayer, especially prayer with Scripture. Even a few minutes of prayer throughout the day helps tremendously to live with Christ throughout the week. Frankly, we cannot walk with Him only one hour a week and be fully His; we certainly wouldn’t expect such inattention to make any of our other relationships work. Our communal preparation is mutual forgiveness. Our Lord told us that we cannot worship him with anger or resentment in our hearts; we must first go and make peace with our brother, and then together offer Him the sacrifice of our love and devotion.
There is no greater act that the Church can accomplish in the world, than to offer faithfully, joyfully, and with great dedication the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Our Lord Himself, when He instituted the Mass and the sacramental priesthood at the Last Supper, gave this task to the whole Church: “Do this in remembrance of me.” The Mass underlies and supports everything else that the Church can do to care for souls in the world. For each individual Catholic as well, the Mass is the engine of our growth in faith, in love, and in hope. If we want to love Jesus Christ more personally and fruitfully, we need a deeper devotion to Him in His Sacrifice. And the fruit of loving Him more in His Sacrifice is a greater love for our neighbor, and for justice.
Here in Iowa, despite all the challenges and tribulations of life, we are truly blessed with health, prosperity, and peace; we know intimately the mercy and bounty of God for all His children. As we luxuriate in the summer’s sunshine after this long and cold winter, may we always be better disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, growing daily in faith, hope, and love. May the light and the joy of the Son of God always reign in our hearts, in every season. May He bless you all with every spiritual blessing under Heaven. Please pray for me, so that I may serve you and the whole Diocese well.
Your brother in Christ,
Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City