This is Jesus Calling!

I can still hear it.  In the early morning calling out rain or shine, in the warmth of summer, in the cold winds of winter, the bell of my parish church rang out a message to us, “Come to Mass…come to Mass!” 

In the Catholic Church the ringing of bells from steeples has often been called vox Dei – the voice of God… calling His people to come and meet Him, especially at Mass.  While there may not be a steeple with a bell near your home, I really believe that this call is still ringing out.  It is the voice of Jesus Himself saying to us in our heart, “Come to Me…come to Mass!”

We have been through very challenging times this past year with the onslaught of the COVID pandemic.  It has necessarily, but sadly, changed the way we have gone about our daily lives.  We have suffered many losses.  Some of us have experienced the loss of loved ones, friends and neighbors who have died.  There has been the loss of employment and the demise of many small businesses.  We have known separation from in-person contact with those we love, isolation from places we enjoy, anxiety from fear of the unknown, and a sense of not being in control in our lives.  Many of us have borne the great cross of not being able to come readily to Mass and to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist as we have been accustomed to in the past.

Certainly we have received many blessings as well.  Thank God for televised and live-streamed Masses, for Holy Communion in parking lots, for outdoor confessions and for all of the ways that so many of our valiant priests and deacons have used their ingenuity to keep us connected to Christ and His Church.  Yet, we know that it is not the same.  Nothing can take the place of being at Mass in person.  Why? Jesus took on our flesh and was born in Bethlehem. He took that flesh to the wood of the cross to save us from our sins.  He wants us to come to the altar, be united with His sacrifice of love, and receive His Flesh and Blood in Holy Communion.  That is why He calls out to us, “Come to me…come to Mass!”

Now, thank God, we have the vaccines that will give us added protection from COVID.  With the vaccines, the precautions of masks and social distancing, and sanitization, we have greater hope that it is possible to come together at Mass more safely.
In the midst of it all, Jesus is calling to us to come to Him.  Jesus wants us to bring the worries, the sufferings and the prayers of our hearts to the altar at Mass, to His Heart.  He is waiting for us, rejoicing when we come.  He wants us to know that in Him is the answer to all of our difficulties, pains and anxiety. When we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist, we find our strength.  Did He not say to us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”? (Mt 11:28)

Recently, I had an encounter that brought tears to my eyes.  A woman recounted to me her experience of coming back to Mass after almost a year.  She shared, “When I walked into the church, I began to cry for joy for being there and, yet, I had many worries and prayers in my heart.  I had many emotions swirling around inside as the Mass began.  Then, when Father raised Jesus in the Host above the altar and I heard the bell ring, my worries melted away.  That bell told me that Jesus was there!  I was home!”

I thought, listening to that woman of deep faith, “Oh, how right you are.  Jesus called you back.” 

Spring is upon us!  Not just the season of spring as noted by the calendar.  Also, the spring of a new hope of being able to return home to Jesus Himself…to Mass.  Definitely, let us take all the necessary precautions for the protection of all.  Most especially, let us listen carefully for the call of the Lord Jesus ringing out, “Come back to me, come to Mass, and I will lighten your burdens.”