What is Active Participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? ~ Fr. Sam Waters

As Fr. Sam Waters pointed out very clearly in the video, the Holy Mass is the most supreme Act we have on earth and it isn't preformed by men but by God, thus the key for our participation, is to unite in this act of God. We look to the Immaculata who was all perfect in imitating Christ and uniting her will most perfectly to that of God. May she help us unite to the Sacrifice of Christ as God desires us all to unto our salvation and sanctification.

Here are some of the questions we discussed on this topic of Active Participation in the Mass:

1. First, in order to properly understand how to participate in the Holy Mass, we need to have a clear understanding of what the Holy Mass is.

2. It is a know fact that many Catholics have loss the sense of how they are to participate in Mass. And one thing that is always brought up in regards to the Traditional Latin Mass verse the Novus Ordo is that there seems to be more participation in the NO. However, Active participation:

· Is not reading the Gospel

· It is not praying the Our Father along with the priest

· It is not holding or clapping hands

Could you explain what it is then exactly?

3. Preparation and Participation is key.

a. St. Francis de Sales made a specific resolution to use each moment of his day as preparation for the next day's Mass. He envisioned himself being asked "What are you doing at this moment?" and always intending to answer, "Preparing to celebrate Mass."

b. St. Francis de Sales encouraged a mindful and reverent preparation for Holy Communion and Mass, emphasizing both reverence and joy. He suggested preparing the night before with aspirations and then rising with joyful anticipation on the morning of Mass

4. St. Pius X said active participation meant that the faithful should assimilate the divine mysteries, particularly the Blessed Sacrament, to be more configured to Jesus Christ in their daily lives. He explained in the following words: “If you wish to participate in the Mass actively, you must follow with your eye, heart and mouth all that happens on the altar. Further, you must pray with the priest the holy words said by him in the Name of Christ”.

a. How would you encourage a soul to do this in the Holy Mass?

b. Go through examples

c. Are there any books or resources one can use for this? They are linked all below:

The Mass and The Interior Life

by Bernardo Vasconcelos, OSB

Method on Hearing Mass

By St. John Eudes

Attending Well the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

By St. John Eudes

Method on Hearing Mass

By St. Francis de Sales

Deep Meaning & Mystery of Latin Prayers at Holy Mass

Excerpts from the Douay Catechism

Discourses on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass 1878

By St. Alphonsus Liguori

Dogmatic Explanation of the Four Ends of Mass

By Fr. Nicholas Gihr

5. Many Catholics don’t know that there are Four Ends of Holy Mass. Could you go over those 4 ends Father? How are those 4 ends accomplished in the Mass?

In the Dogmatic Explanation of the Four Ends of Mass By Fr. Nicholas Gihr he explains:

“In as far as it is a Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, the Mass procures all honor and glory to God; inasmuch as it is a Sacrifice of propitiation and petition, it obtains for men the plenitude of peace, that is, of all graces and blessings.

That the Sacrifice of the Mass possesses in reality the above mentioned fourfold character of praise and thanksgiving, propitiation and petition, that in these four characteristics it unfolds its efficacy in a striking manner, is evident even from the fact that it not only replaces and transcends the figurative sacrifices of the Old Testament, but also that it infinitely surpasses them. For as the fulfilment and completion of the sacrifices prior to Christ, Holy Mass includes in itself all the goods foreboded by them.

Now, in the Old Law different sacrifices were prescribed for the above-named fourfold object ; consequently, the Eucharistic Sacrifice alone must, in the most perfect manner, answer all these various objects for which sacrifices were chiefly offered.

The sole and perpetual Sacrifice of the New Testament, therefore, enables us to cancel all our indebtedness toward God and to fulfil all our obligations towards Him, to avert from ourselves all evils and to implore all favors…the Holy Mass is the most perfect sacrifice of praise and the most precious and worthy sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, and the fullest sacrifice of propitiation and the most powerful sacrifice of petition for men…”