Week 39: Dismissal Rite: Living the Mass

By Archbishop Michael Jackels

Witness Publisher

Our celebration of Holy Mass is meant to transform us, so that we can be agents of transformation, to make the world a different, better place.

We do this by the way of life expected of a follower of Jesus, which would include things like…

A commitment personally and with the parish community to daily prayer, Sunday worship at Mass, monthly confession of sins to a priest, regular participation in learning and teaching the gospel, and regular participation in the practice of mercy.

The practice of mercy, in imitation of Jesus, would include things like…

A commitment personally and with the parish community to the common good and to respect for human life and dignity, especially to the unborn, children at risk, and to people who are sick, frail with age, or near death; people who lack things needed to live in human dignity; immigrants and refugees; prisoners, and care for the earth, our common home.

If the world is not a different, better place, we need to examine the genuineness of the practice of our Catholic Faith, and recommit ourselves to Jesus.