To Missal or Not To Missal

To missal or not to missal, that is the question.

While attending my first Novus Ordo (Latin) Mass, back in the fall of 2009, my brain endured quite the rollercoaster of thoughts. The monologue went something like this: “Wow, Look at this place! It looks like a Medieval-genre film set. Where are we going to sit? What am I supposed to do now? That is the most beautiful singing I’ve ever heard. Or is that chanting? Well, whatever it is, it’s amazing. Oh, my, they want me to use this hymnal, the bulletin and a pew missalette. No worries, I can do this. So far so good. Jody, you’ve got this Latin Mass thing under control.”

Ten minutes later.

“Whoa! Stop the train! I’m lost! How am I supposed to juggle all of this while translating Latin, sitting then standing then kneeling and chanting all the while?!? I can’t do this?!? Who came up with this circus of a religious service anyway?!? I’m never coming back!”

Note that the panicked change in my perspective came only 10 minutes into the Mass and lasted not only for the remaining 50 minutes of the Mass but for most of the car ride home as well.

During my brain’s chaotic frenzy, my heart was saying, “Ah, I can breathe here. Smell that incense. Hear those bells. This is a safe, sacred place. Even though our brain may have no idea what the priest is saying, I can feel the historic depth and holy blessings of his words resonate throughout my being. Oh, adding movement to this Mass changes my rhythm and my pulse; what a miraculous and unexpected joy! Wait, it’s over already. So soon? Too soon. I’ll definitely be back next week.”

Yeah, what a colossal difference between the reactions of my heart and my head!

So, what helped me achieve alignment? The Daily Roman Missal, published by Rev. James Socias for Midwest Theological Forum out of Woodridge, Illinois, U.S.A. This text completely changed my experience and my holistic enjoyment of the Novus Ordo Mass. Once my brain learned to navigate the words, rituals and sacraments using this essentially all-inclusive liturgical tool, my heart was at liberty to spend the hour connecting and rejoicing freely. Who knew a modern book could be powerful enough to change how I felt about attending Mass? Well, obviously, The Church and Reverend Socias did! Thank goodness!

Now as I sit in the pew on Sundays and watch others around me struggle and juggle, I wonder why they don’t order a Missal. Maybe it’s the cost. Maybe the time or effort. Or it might be because they don’t know how much better their Novus Ordo journey could be if they had one. So, today, I answer the question, “To Missal or not to Missal?” with an emphatic, “To Missal!” and hope that you might consider picking up one of these sacred tour guides to the Mass for yourself. “Ite, missa est.” “Deo gratias!”

Websites to consider for more research about The Daily Roman Missal…

http://usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/roman-missal/

http://revisedromanmissal.org/

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html