Mass from across Town
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Monday, September 28, 2009 3:00 PM
I’ve caught a cold from my kids, and yesterday I was sick as anything and barely got out of bed all day long.
This was sad because it was Sunday.
I strongly dislike being sick on Sundays. Even with the baby-wrangling that’s involved, Mass at our parish always revitalizes me. I love going.
Unfortunately, yesterday morning I was croaking like a frog and couldn’t stop coughing. I certainly didn’t want to spread my germs around at Mass, and I was too much of a wreck to leave the house anyway, so I went back to bed.
It’s the first time in a while that I’ve missed Mass because I myself was sick. It happens much more often that I end up staying home with a sick kiddo. And while yesterday I was too out of it to do much of anything except nap and try to read intermittently, usually when I’m spending Sunday morning at home with an ill child, I feel fine.
It’s those days that I most regret not being at Mass, and if the sick child is mellow enough to cooperate, I try to spend some time making up for missing the liturgy. Here are some of the things I’ve come up with:
- Liturgy of the Word, personal-devotional style. You can find each Sunday’s Mass readings here and in my experience, spending some time reading and meditating on them brings the Mass I’m missing much nearer.
- Eucharistic adoration, long-distance style. While nothing can compare to being present at the consecration of the Blessed Sacrament, there are many excellent ways to meditate on the beauty and glory of the Eucharist from home. Read the account of the Last Supper in one of the gospels,* or read Pope John Paul II’s excellent encyclical on the Eucharist, Ecclesia de Eucharistia. I also like to make an act of spiritual communion when I can’t be there to receive actual communion.
- Some good old-fashioned hymn singin’. When my throat is frog-free, lifting my voice in song is one of the surest ways for me to lift my heart to God. When I can’t be at Mass participating in the worship, I like to pick some of my favorite hymns and “sing along” from home. I may not be in the sanctuary, but I know our Lord can hear me just as well.
Do you have some ideas for celebrating along with Mass at home? Please share them!
*Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-20
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