Life Teen Staff Picks: Daily Mass

At first I was irritated that someone would have enough nerve to come up to me and say that I should be going to daily Mass. After all, wasn’t Sunday Mass enough? But it got me thinking, “Why would I be irritated at someone suggesting I go to Mass every day?” I realized that the reason I was irritated was because she was speaking the truth and I did need to be going to Mass more often.

That was 17 years ago and now on most days you can find me attending daily Mass at a parish somewhere. At first it was difficult to do, there was always a great excuse not to go. After a few years, it started to become more and more important to me. Now, if I miss a daily mass, I can tell the difference in my day. I really find the rhythm of prayer in receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus each day as a powerful impact on my day. It also keeps me centered on what I need to be focused on each day as I strive to live a holy life.

Bonus – the daily Mass readings often give me something powerful to try to live out that day.

Here are three things that going to Mass daily could do for you:

1. Peace. You could slow down and be more peaceful. Most days within an hour of attending Mass, I run into someone who asks me how I’m doing, I quickly reply “Great! I just received the Body and Blood of Christ – can it get any better than that?”
2. Greater knowledge of Scripture. If you go to Mass every day you will hear the entire Bible read out loud every two years!
3. Communion. Yes, you will receive the most important communion – Holy Communion, but we also become closer to our parish community in communion. I have developed great relationships with our priests and other parishioners because they have more time to talk after daily Mass. It is a real gift to my day to spend an extra five minutes after Mass in the front of the Church connecting with others who have just become living tabernacles as well.

Now that I serve as the President of Life Teen, going to Mass daily is not an option, it is necessary to this ministry to, for and with young people. Pray about it – is daily Mass something you should be going to?