THE MASS
It has gone by many names over the centuries: the Breaking of the Bread, the Eucharist, the Divine Liturgy, the Unbloody Sacrifice, the Mystical Supper of the Lamb, and many more. Any title falls short of capturing what is the “source and summit” of Christian faith. And yet, every title contributes to deepening our entry into this greatest Mystery of our faith.
The Mass: this simplest title most likely derives from the sending forth in Latin: Ite MISSA est (“Go forth, the Mass is ended”; or, more literally, “Go, She (the Church) has been sent”). The Mass is our greatest prayer because it is the prayer of Christ in his Paschal Mystery, in his supreme response to the Father, which includes his own “going forth” to the right hand of God. The ritual that clothes the Mass both invites and disposes the baptized to join in Christ’s response of offering, sacrifice, blessing and praise.
- USCCB website
"To celebrate the Eucharist 'to eat his flesh and drink his blood', means to accept the wisdom of the Cross and the path of service. It means that we signal our willingness to sacrifice ourselves for others, as Christ has done. Our society desperately needs this sign, and young people need it even more so, tempted as they often are by the illusion of an easy and comfortable life, by drugs and pleasure-seeking, only to find themselves in a spiral of despair, meaninglessness and violence. It is urgent to change direction and to turn to Christ. This is the way of justice, solidarity and commitment to building a society and a future
worthy of the human person."
-Pope John Paul II