WORSHIPING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH...

As the song is being sang…my eyes are closed, my hands are clasped, each word touches the depth of my soul…The Holy Spirit flies me to God’s awesome Presence…The words are no more, my mind, my heart, my soul, my whole being is worshiping, adoring God in spirit and in truth. It is just Jesus and me…face to face, no words, just gazing upon each other…nothing exists but Him and me…This is during communion in the Holy Mass when Jesus rests upon my tongue and I am in union with Him.…

These past Sundays, the Gospels were taken from the book of John (John 6:41-69). They were about Jesus being the the Bread of Life. He Himself had spoken about this, many of His followers left Him. He even had a command in the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of Me.” 

We believe that in the Mass, Jesus is present - physically and spiritually. The Holy Mass is the center of our life and the highest form of worship and prayer.

There was a time before, I was so into worshiping God through praise and worship songs. I raised my hands to God with my mind, heart, soul, emotions…all that I am...I am loving God...but I looked forward to this form of worship, and I was much involved in it, more than in the Mass.

Why? Because it was exciting, it was not boring, I was emotionally high and i felt great experiencing God's awesome Presence through it.

But Jesus made me realize that adoring God is all about Him, and not about me, nor what I feel. It is about pleasing my Lord and my God and if what I gave before during worship gatherings was all that I was....then....why is it that I can not give all that I am during the Mass. 

I asked myself: "Isn't it in the Holy Mass, Jesus is present Body and Soul? Isn't it Jesus was the One who first celebrated giving His physical Self in the Last Supper? Isn't it Jesus commanded His Apostles to do that in His memory?"

He deserves much more from me than what I give Him during the Holy Mass.

Adoring God through songs and other forms is okay. There is nothing wrong with these. In fact, they also bring us closer to Him, experiencing His awesome Presence. But if they become more valuable to us Catholics, than the sacrament of the Holy Mass, then, we miss its very essence. Other forms of worship should not be above the Holy Mass where Jesus, Body and Soul, is very much present to a soul that hungers for and seeks to adore the Living Bread of Life...

Luke 22:14-20 (GNT)

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. ¹⁵ He said to them, “I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. ¹⁸ I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ Then He took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” ²⁰  In the same way, He gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you."

-luisadelacruz