| | A. The Catholic Church calls the Mass ‘the source and summit of our Christian lives’ (Catechism, 1324). It is both source and summit because, at Mass, we encounter Jesus in a unique way. There we come into His presence, uniting our lives with his: there we receive Christ Himself in Holy Communion, which is truly his Body and Blood.
At Mass our souls are filled with his power and strength and we are given the means to love one another, as Christ commanded (John 13:34). Finally, the Mass is the best way of giving thanks to God for all the gifts He has given us. Another word for the Mass is ‘Eucharist’, which means ‘Thanksgiving’. > |