1. Receiving Christ in the Blessed Eucharist gives us the strength to fight selfish pride and sin.
Pride and ego are two of the many demons most of us must battle constantly. We desire pleasure, things, convenience, notice, etc. It’s a constant struggle to weaken these impulses… especially when they impact our other priorities and relationships. We cannot win the struggle alone. We were not created perfect. We were born frail and defective so that we might acknowledge that any good which happens in us or through us is from God.It takes supernatural strength to combat ego; and we can get that strength from our Lord present in the Eucharist. The sanctifying grace that pours through us when we receive the consecrated host allows us to stop before uttering a word of anger, or engaging in a selfish sin. Simply put, the Eucharist strengthens us for the daily journey.
2. Praising God first thing in the morning is the most important thing on our daily calendar.
“First things first”, as they say. And since we’ve been blessed to be a member of this one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, we should understand that it’s a privilege and a gift that we can make God the first and most important person in our day by worshipping Him in His temple. Plus, God asks for the first fruits of our harvest, the first tenth of all our blessings. Going to Mass is offering the first part of our day to the Lord who is the source of all our blessings. It’s the best form of Catholic stewardship.
3. The Mass is my ongoing spiritual formation.
One beautiful thing about the Mass is that it is so drenched in scripture. Attending Mass daily allows us to soak in God’s Word. Reading and reflecting on the daily scriptures the evening before makes the Mass seem even richer and more fulfilling. The Mass helps us get a full Catholic education in Christ — stewardship, the sacraments, the saints, and evangelization — 260 days a year. It helps us grown in the Lord a day at a time.
4. The Mass heals.
Every Mass is a healing experience. It heals wounds caused by our sinful nature, it heals our relationship with God and with one another, bringing us closer to our Lord, giving us opportunities to draw near and receive Him not only in the Word, but also in the Blessed Sacrament.
5. You meet your Creator, your friend, your love.
It is good to be a friend and lover of God. On the day we see Him face-to-face, we will realize that which we have missed throughout our lives. As Saint Augustine says: “my heart is restless until it rests in You.” Find your shelter in the wings of the Lord. Find it, every morning, in His Holy temple. During the day, find it in silent prayer wherever we are.We will come to yearn for the Lord knowing that our day is incomplete without prayer and worship. We will find no greater solace than in His Word, in His sacraments, and in surrendering to His love. In accepting the challenge of meeting Jesus daily in the Eucharist, we will find more joy than ever.