Sunday Mass

Sunday Mass       

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

         I have attended weekly Mass on Saturday evening for as long as I can remember.  I became an usher at that Mass in October 1970.  The sense of community that I have experienced over all those years is overwhelming.  As of spring this year, I began walking to Church for exercise.  The distance is about one half of a mile in one direction.  I usually walked the distance one way in about ten minutes.  The exercise that I received was great and it made me physically and mentally stronger.  Now, it is autumn.  I have begun to appreciate the autumn leaves on the way for the main reason that I do not need to rake them!!  With autumn comes the end of daylight savings time, and it gets dark quite early now.  It was decision time.  I finally decided to try the early Sunday Mass at 8:00am. 

         As is usual for me, I awoke 15 minutes late at 7:15am.  In my youth, I was able to wash, shave, and dress in 20 minutes.  Could I still accomplish this?  So, I made the sacrifice to get ready for Mass.  I walked to Church and arrived at 7:50am with plenty of time to spare.  At Sunday Mass, I received a profound blessing from God.  My first meal of the day was the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.  After that reception of Holy Communion, I experienced a renewed energy level in both the spiritual and physical realms.  Not only did I experience the normal sense of community, I experienced the euphoria and the joy of the physical presence of Jesus in my entire life.  He was first that day.  When I returned home, I did the normal morning meditations, the rosaries that I recite, the evening meditations, and other prayers with a greater strength, zeal, and joy.  I have not experienced this since my youth.  The Kingdom of God was intensely present within me and outside of me.  I feel its presence and peace still today and will definitely feel this peace and joy all week.  I will probably continue to participate in the weekly Mass obligation on a Sunday morning conditions permitting.

         Quite possibly, giving up my sleep on Sunday morning, a selfless act, brought forth as the words of modern hymn says, the power of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Glory back into my life.  Many years ago a cereal was being advertised on television as, “the breakfast of champions”.  The Sacred Host that I received as the first meal of the day on Sunday is truly the breakfast of a champion.  With his divine power we become over-comers of the world, the flesh, and the devil.  We need that today and every day.

         Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe.  Deo Gratias.  Gloria Tibi Domini.  Praise be to God.  See you in Paradise. Amen.