“You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24a).

Such ends the second reading for Mass on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time this year, which we celebrated on Sept. 1. The reading speaks to us of what we encounter every time we attend Mass. We do not encounter merely the sacrifices of the Old Testament. Nor do we simply go to fulfill an obligation, to get it out of the way, or to see our friends in our parish community. We go to Mass because there we encounter the living God.

If we read the passage from Hebrews carefully, we realize that we and the other members of our parish are not alone with God at Mass. We are surrounded by all the saints and angels, as we join in the praise and glory of God that they constantly sing in heaven. It is with the communion of saints that we worship God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

If someone entered the church on a Sunday who had never been to Mass before, how would he or she perceive the faith of the Catholics present? Do we look as though we actually want to be at Mass, as though we are actually encountering Jesus there? Or do we look as though we would rather be somewhere else?

I once heard that a student loved the Lord but not the Mass. This student had not yet made the connection that the encounter with Jesus can happen at each Mass or that the Mass is the primary way to express our deep love for Jesus. How many people sitting in the pews next to us each Sunday feel the same way about Mass as this student did?

How can we be “missionary disciples” in spreading the good news of encountering Jesus Christ in the Mass? I think one important thing to realize is that the mission field might be right there in the Church. Research has recently shown that three quarters of Catholics do not believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. No wonder so many Catholics leave the Church, if they do not know Him there! As missionary disciples, what are we doing to help each other and all those who enter our churches to encounter the living God present at every Mass?

If someone entered the church on a Sunday who had never been to Mass before, how would he or she perceive the faith of the Catholics present? Do we look as though we actually want to be at Mass, as though we are actually encountering Jesus there? Or do we look as though we would rather be somewhere else? Do we participate in the responses and songs? Are we attentive and prayerful? 

We help each other to pray, to encounter the Lord, in all of these ways. And if we are not allowing Him to fill us in the Mass, we are fooling ourselves if we think we will be able to be missionary disciples when we leave the doors of the Church.

May we approach the Mass, “the heavenly Jerusalem,” in such a way as to be drawn ourselves and to lead others to “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,” truly present in the Eucharist.

Sr. Mary Martha Becnel is a member of the Ann Arbor-based Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.