“Let the little children come to Me”: the miracle of the Mass by Michelle Tan
The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools, 2006 mandates that “The Church must have schools that are recognisably Catholic.” (Page 7)
What instantly identifies our schools as Catholic if not the celebration of the Sacraments, especially Holy Mass?
The Eucharistic celebration is integral to the life of a Catholic school because it deepens faith, nourishes spiritual growth, builds community, forms Christian moral values, preserves the culture and traditions of the Catholic Church, provides space for personal prayer and reflection, enables true encounters with God, and witnesses to the world the riches of the Catholic faith.
The Miracle of the Mass
How is this so? Let us begin by refreshing our understanding of the Mass. It is:
- The memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross: According to Church teaching, the Mass does not merely remember or symbolise the sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, on the cross. By a mystery of faith, it takes us all back to Calvary and makes present “the same Christ who offered Himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross offered in an unbloody manner” on the altar of the sanctuary (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994, CCC 1367).
This happens when, in obedience to Christ’s command to His apostles at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19), “we offer to the Father what He has Himself given us; the gifts of His creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, become the Body and Blood of Christ.” (CCC 1357) - The real presence of Jesus through the miracle of transubstantiation: “In the Eucharist, Christ gives us the very body which He gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which He poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (CCC 1365). This is not a chemical, physical or other natural transformation but a supernatural phenomenon.
As such, “it cannot be apprehended by the senses but only by faith, which relies on divine authority.” (St. Thomas Aquinas) Therefore, “Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Saviour in faith, for since He is the Truth, He cannot lie.” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, CCC 1380) - Holy Communion with the Lord: “To receive communion is to receive Christ Himself who has offered himself for us.” (CCC 1382).
“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56) Anywhere and everywhere Mass is celebrated, Emmanuel God-with-us comes down from heaven to dwell within all who partake of Holy Communion with faith and in a state of grace.
As the Church is also the mystical Body of Christ, “in the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of His Body: our lives, our praise, our sufferings, prayer and work, are united with those of Christ” (CCC 1368). Our sacrifice is similarly united with those of all other members of the Church, whether here on earth, in purgatory or in heaven (CCC 1370, 1371).
The Fruits of the Mass
Through the celebration of Holy Mass, a Catholic school fulfils its vocation to be “a genuine instrument of the Church’s evangelising mission” (Page 8):
- It deepens faith and nourishes sacramental life.
If we earnestly help our students and staff understand the significance of what happens during Mass, they will surely be led to encounter Christ more meaningfully, not just during Mass in school (where there may be many distractions), but also in church and in their personal lives. - It builds communion and community:
Celebrating Mass together fosters a sense of belonging and family among students, teachers, and staff. It reminds everyone that they are part of the larger Body of Christ, sharing the Catholic values and charisms of the founders of the school, and living out the mission and vision of the school in communal praise and thanksgiving.
Celebrating Mass also helps students connect with the rich culture, traditions and history of the Catholic Church, fostering a sense of identity with the People of God who have gone before them. - It offers opportunities for catechesis:
Mass is a time when Catholic educators can unveil the riches of the liturgy, the liturgical calendar, the sacraments, and the teachings of the Church to students and staff alike, complementing the religious education curriculum in school, and catechism classes in church. The homilies, para-liturgies and prayers during Mass can also guide students on how to live a moral and Christ-centred life.
Since ‘faith is caught, rather than taught’, Catholic educators, staff and students who participate in the liturgy can role-model reverence and “fear” of the Lord, proper worship and prayer dispositions, and express their faith in action through serving others and respecting their human dignity, especially when trying to maintain order and a prayerful environment during the bigger, school-wide Masses. - It offers a sacred time and space for encountering God:
If time permits and the school environment is conducive, Mass provides a structured time for staff and students to rest collectively in the Lord amidst their packed timetables. - It is missionary:
Catholic schools witness to non-Catholics at large and unveil the beauty of the liturgy and Catholic culture to them at large by living out their faith and worship of God in the public celebration of the Mass.
This is why the Church teaches that “The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). It should be the source and summit of Catholic school life too for it seals us with the 5 Essential Marks:
- The first Essential Mark of a Catholic School is that it is inspired by a supernatural vision. (Page 20) Today, the Risen Lord is present in our schools where two or three are gathered in prayer in His name (Matthew 18:20), in our FINs (Friends In Need) (Matthew 25:40, 45), and in the Word of God (John 1:1) displayed on our school buildings. But above all, He is present among us in the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. The Mass inspires by giving us a vision of the supernatural!
- The second Essential Mark respects the intrinsic human dignity of the person created in the image and likeness of God. The Holy See calls us to be schools “for the human person and of human persons”, tasked with “being the living and provocative memory of Christ.” (Page 26) What better way to do this than through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist?
- The third Essential Mark is that a Catholic school should be animated by communion and community. (Page 28) As we have seen, the entire People of God are united with Christ and each other around the table of the Lord at Mass.
- The fourth Essential Mark is that a Catholic school’s curriculum emphasises the integral human development of its students: it develops “gradually every capability of every student, whether intellectual, physical, psychological, moral and religious capabilities.” (Page 42). To do so “it must foster love for wisdom and truth and must integrate faith, culture and life.” (Page 45). In the Mass, the real presence of Christ who is Wisdom, Truth and Life Himself works wonders.
- The fifth Essential Mark is that the Mass enables Catholic educators, Catholic staff and Catholic students (Page 53), to witness to their faith, especially in modern times when students encounter fewer religious or clergy in their schools.
Our call to action
Yet despite the above, “All too many schools fall into the trap of a secular academic success culture, putting their Christological focus and its accompanying understanding of the human person in second place. Christ is ‘fitted in’ rather than being the school’s vital principle.” (Page 26)
During Mass, the same God who created the universe and parted the Red Sea; the same Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead, drove out demons and healed the lame, deaf and blind; and the same Holy Spirit who empowered 12 fearful apostles to sow the seeds of the Church that number 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide today, walks among us and our students, to love, liberate, heal, restore, uplift and empower us.
Jesus told His disciples who prevented little children from coming to Him, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:13-16)
Will we keep our young people from Him just because we don’t have the time, the unavailability of physical spaces or financial and human resources, or simply the sheer lack of willpower to organise meaningful Masses in our schools?
As we begin the school holidays, let us make good use of the time we are given to attend Mass more often (even when we are overseas) and ponder on what the Mass means to us as Catholic educators, and how much it matters to our Catholic schools.
May we implore the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on the great feast of Pentecost (8 June) and the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity (June 15) to give us the strength and goodwill to fortify the Catholic identity of our schools with regular celebrations of Holy Mass, thereby inspiring Catholic parents to enrol their children in our Catholic schools, and thus ensuring the institutions’ survival and continuing the mission and vision of their founders for the glory of God and His Church.
And may our celebration of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (June 22) fill us with the divine graces and blessings we need to build up the Kingdom of God in our own hearts, homes and schools as we enter Ordinary Time in the life of the Church once more.
Reference
oThe Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools, 2006 by Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB
