by Chase Hawkins
When I was in elementary school at St. Margaret of York School in Loveland, Ohio, we had an all-school Mass every Friday. At one school Mass, our then-associate pastor Fr. Jamie told a homily that has stuck with me to this day. He began by asking what the most important thing in a church was. A variety of students raised their hands and guessed. “The altar!” “The ambo!” “The tabernacle!” “The Eucharist!” “The priest!” “The Crucifix!”
None were correct. Once we had exhausted all of our guesses, Fr. Jamie went to the ambo shelf and pulled out an “EXIT” sign. Where did he get an exit sign, you may ask? Who knows? Anyway, he explained how the most important thing in a church is the exit sign. I was thoroughly confused. How can an exit sign be the most important thing in the church? Fr. Jamie explained that at Mass we aren’t supposed to keep Jesus inside the walls of the church; we are called to take Jesus into the world. In Fr. Jamie’s words, “The Eucharist is a take-out meal!”
This doesn’t mean that we receive Jesus in a recycled paper bag and cardboard cup. It means that we are supposed to receive the Eucharist and go out in the world to be Christ’s light in the world. We will never change the world by simply going to church. The Mass is a place we go to worship our God; to fulfill what we were made for: the glorification of God. However, we will only change the world by being the Church. This means that we have to be the Church in a world that often contradicts the Church. We have to go out!
Going out into the world is at the core of the Mass. The word “Mass” comes from the Latin noun missa which is derived from the final words of the liturgy; that is, “Ite missa est” meaning “Go, it is the dismissal” or more commonly today: “Go forth, the Mass has ended…”
Isn’t it strange that the Mass is named for the final words of the celebration? Or that after the greatest peak of encountering Jesus – the Eucharist – the Mass is abruptly ended? Think about it. We build up to this great point at which we receive Jesus and then we are sent away. Why is this so? This can be explained by Cardinal Donald Wuerl in his book The Mass:
None were correct. Once we had exhausted all of our guesses, Fr. Jamie went to the ambo shelf and pulled out an “EXIT” sign. Where did he get an exit sign, you may ask? Who knows? Anyway, he explained how the most important thing in a church is the exit sign. I was thoroughly confused. How can an exit sign be the most important thing in the church? Fr. Jamie explained that at Mass we aren’t supposed to keep Jesus inside the walls of the church; we are called to take Jesus into the world. In Fr. Jamie’s words, “The Eucharist is a take-out meal!”
This doesn’t mean that we receive Jesus in a recycled paper bag and cardboard cup. It means that we are supposed to receive the Eucharist and go out in the world to be Christ’s light in the world. We will never change the world by simply going to church. The Mass is a place we go to worship our God; to fulfill what we were made for: the glorification of God. However, we will only change the world by being the Church. This means that we have to be the Church in a world that often contradicts the Church. We have to go out!
Going out into the world is at the core of the Mass. The word “Mass” comes from the Latin noun missa which is derived from the final words of the liturgy; that is, “Ite missa est” meaning “Go, it is the dismissal” or more commonly today: “Go forth, the Mass has ended…”
Isn’t it strange that the Mass is named for the final words of the celebration? Or that after the greatest peak of encountering Jesus – the Eucharist – the Mass is abruptly ended? Think about it. We build up to this great point at which we receive Jesus and then we are sent away. Why is this so? This can be explained by Cardinal Donald Wuerl in his book The Mass:
“Does it seem strange that the Mass ends so abruptly after Communion? We reach the highest peak possible, then suddenly we’re sent away after the barest blessing: ‘May almighty God bless you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’
Then it’s over.
Who could blame us if we felt like Saint Peter? He saw Jesus transfigured on the mountaintop and wished to remain there forever, setting up booths on the site (see Mark 9:5).
[Pope Benedict XVI], too, turned his attention to the suddenness of our dismissal from worship; and he found the key to understanding that moment in a Gospel story. It was the story of Jesus’ encounter on the day of his Resurrection, with two disciples who were walking from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus. Jesus approached the two disciples, who were at first prevented from recognizing him.
The disciples were downcast before they met the mysterious stranger. He walked with them awhile and entered their conversation, probing them with questions, drawing out their response. He listened to them as they poured out their hearts. ‘Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures’ (Luke 24:27).
When the disciples arrived at their destination, they invited the man to stay with them. It was only when he ‘took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them’ (Luke 24:33) that they recognized him as Jesus. ‘He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread’ (Luke 24:35). Then he vanished from their sight, and they were left to tell the good news to their fellow disciples. They ‘set out at once’ for Jerusalem (Luke 24:33)…
Isn’t this our experience? We come to Mass, perhaps distracted by a thousand and one troubles and concerns of everyday life. Then Jesus draws close to us, though not in an overwhelming way. By the prayers of the Mass, he draws out our response. He gives us words to express our sorrow, our pleas, our praise. Then he opens the Scriptures to us. He gives himself in the most intimate way. And then comes our dis-missal, our com-mission. These words come from the same Latin root as our beloved Mass…” (Wuerl 203-206).
This [long] passage illustrates how Jesus speaks to us through the Mass and especially through the dismissal at the conclusion of the celebration of the Eucharist. The most important thing in a church is the exit sign because when we exit the building, we are taking Jesus into the world.
This is why the dismissal is so important to the Mass. This is why we go to Mass. We are nourished by the Word of God and the Body of Christ before we go out into the world and bring that nourishment to those who we encounter. We don’t always need to physically bring people to Jesus or to church; sometimes we just need to bring Jesus to people. We can be Christ’s light in the world by living our lives according to God’s Word, Jesus’ teaching, and the fulfillment we receive through the Eucharist. The greatest way in which we can bring Christ into the world is through joy, love, and service to others.
Jesus called His apostles to go out into the world and spread the news of His life, death, and resurrection:
This is why the dismissal is so important to the Mass. This is why we go to Mass. We are nourished by the Word of God and the Body of Christ before we go out into the world and bring that nourishment to those who we encounter. We don’t always need to physically bring people to Jesus or to church; sometimes we just need to bring Jesus to people. We can be Christ’s light in the world by living our lives according to God’s Word, Jesus’ teaching, and the fulfillment we receive through the Eucharist. The greatest way in which we can bring Christ into the world is through joy, love, and service to others.
Jesus called His apostles to go out into the world and spread the news of His life, death, and resurrection:
“Then Jesus approached and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)
But this command does not merely apply to Jesus’ apostles. Jesus commands us to “go and make disciples of all nations”. This can be a daunting task for many of us. It can be difficult to bring Jesus into a household that’s broken. It can be difficult to bring Jesus into our school or into our friendships. It can be difficult to bring Jesus into our everyday lives. But remember: Jesus did not tell us to go out into the world and then abandon us in the world. Jesus told us to go out into the world because He will be with us until the end of time.
Next time you go to Mass, listen closely to the dismissal. The priest will say something along the lines of “Go forth, the Mass has ended” or “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life” or “Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord”. All of these variations remind us that we are not called to keep Jesus contained inside of a church building. We are called to take Jesus out into the world; to truly make the Eucharist a take-out meal.
St. James, ora pro nobis.
St. Francis of Assis, ora pro nobis.
St. Margaret Clitherow, ora pro nobis.
Papa Francesco, tibi oramus.
-Chawkins
Too early for Christmas music? Either way, the lyrics fit the topic of going out and proclaiming!
"Go Tell It On the Mountain" by NEEDTOBREATHE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_TnSwrNeWY
Next time you go to Mass, listen closely to the dismissal. The priest will say something along the lines of “Go forth, the Mass has ended” or “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life” or “Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord”. All of these variations remind us that we are not called to keep Jesus contained inside of a church building. We are called to take Jesus out into the world; to truly make the Eucharist a take-out meal.
St. James, ora pro nobis.
St. Francis of Assis, ora pro nobis.
St. Margaret Clitherow, ora pro nobis.
Papa Francesco, tibi oramus.
-Chawkins
Too early for Christmas music? Either way, the lyrics fit the topic of going out and proclaiming!
"Go Tell It On the Mountain" by NEEDTOBREATHE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_TnSwrNeWY