The Case for Arriving Early for Mass

Prayer for the Perpetually Tardy

Punctuality is a constant struggle for many of us, and there are many reasons why we might be late for Mass. It happens. Traffic, herding our kids out of the house, oversleeping, etc. We don’t always intend to be late, but things come up from time to time, and these days, we are presented with an endless buffet of activities even on Sundays. Some of us are just often off at estimating the time it takes to get from our front door to the pew.

Infinite Mercy

Thankfully, God, in His infinite mercy and grace, is always lovingly and patiently waiting for us. And there's a strong case for cultivating a habit of arriving early for Mass. 

Blessed are the Punctuals.

As a psychologist constantly curious about the intermingling between the brain, behavior, and the faith, the more it dawned on me that arriving early for Mass is actually a wonderful way to optimize our “rest” or “leisure” on Sunday, the day of rest. For as God rested on the seventh day, we, too, will find rest on this day of the week. Sure, we want to arrive early to honor the Sacrament of the Mass; and sure, we want to arrive early to be not disruptive to others. It is extra work to wake up earlier and prepare to arrive early for Mass. But that extra work is not really for some external recompense. Punctuality is actually intrinsically rewarding as it only optimizes our spiritual well-being and our experience of God’s grace. God’s grace, mercy, healing, and blessings await, so why prolong that wait?

In his homily during his visit to America in 1999, Pope John Paul II said:

“In the Mass and in Eucharistic Adoration, we meet the merciful love of God that passes through the Heart of Jesus Christ.”

So why not just lean in on this day of rest, all the way in, with intentionality and purpose, and be completely awed by this Gift, the Sacrament of the Eucharist? Could we not spend one full hour and some with the Lord?

10 Minutes, or more!

A previous Busted Halo article recommended arriving at least 10 minutes before Mass starts. That’s a good amount of time to find a good seat, catch our breath, get centered, and gather all our attentional resources for the moment, the here and now, where the temporal and the eternal meet.  It might take some practice because it’s a shift not only in our schedule but also in our mindset. However, it’s a small change that can pay huge dividends and lead us to an optimal state of rest, well-being, and flow.

Optimizing Flow into State of Grace

It takes time and a certain set of conditions to get in the ebb and flow of unhurried inhales and exhales. Arriving early for Mass can help us transition from our fast-paced lives to a more heart-healthy cadence that’s more in sync with the ebb and flow of the here and now. That quiet time before Mass can serve as our escape from the trappings of our hurried lives to get the rhythms of our heart and breath to be in sync with the gentle flow of grace. We take the time to prepare to lose our sense of self in the moment, in the “Sacrament of the Present Moment.”

It takes about 10 to 15 minutes of focused attention to reach the initial stages of being in a flow state. It takes some time for us to mentally decompress and pivot towards a heightened awareness of the present moment. To optimize the process and fully transition into a state of flow, why not use the minutes before Mass to decompress and let the chatter of the mind fade away. Don’t worry about the past nor the future. Don’t worry about what to make for dinner later or how to respond to your supervisor’s email. Instead, focus and humbly gaze upon the crucifix, offer up our fears, worries, weariness, aches, and anxieties, and just let it all melt away in God’s mercy. God, who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, is about to meet us in the here and now, in this gift of the present moment. Clear our calendars and our minds to prepare for that holy encounter. Prepare to be awestruck and enter into a state of flowing grace. Sunday is a holy day of rest, set apart from the rest of the week, giving us the blessed opportunity to disconnect from the mundane and prepare to connect to the sacred.