What Does the Book of Revelation Teach Us about the Mass?
The Mass is the highest expression of Christian prayer. Through our focus on the liturgy over the past year, we’ve seen how God prepared His people for the Mass through the worship of the Old Testament, how Jesus established the Mass at the Last Supper, and how the early Church celebrated the Mass.
But why did God choose the Holy Mass as our highest form of worship? Because the Mass reflects the liturgy of heaven itself. This is the focus of this month’s Full of Grace Youth Journal.
Heaven on Earth
How do we know that the Mass is heaven on earth? The Book of Revelation reveals the liturgy celebrated in heaven.
Many of the prayers of Mass are taken directly from Revelation. This reflects that the Mass is the heavenly liturgy come down to earth.
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’
Revelation 19:6-9
Marriage Supper of the Lamb
The Mass is the marriage supper of the Lamb revealed in Revelation. Jesus is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world.
When we view the Mass as heaven on earth and the prayer of the Mass as God’s greatest prayer, we can come to Mass with more respect and reverence.
How can we enter more fully in the Mass? During Mass, remember that you are in a holy place and thank God for the gift of the Eucharist. When Mass ends, spend some time in quiet before going back to the noise and distractions of life.
The Youth of the Church
If you know a youth who would benefit from receiving monthly editions of Full of Grace, where they’ll dive into the liturgy and other aspects of their faith, sign them up today! Enroll them in The Youth Guild of Saint José Sánchez del Río at YouthGuild.org.
The Full of Grace Youth Journal – December 2024
Full of Grace is a monthly journal for those enrolled in The Youth Guild of Saint José Sánchez del Río. Each journal includes a feature on a young saint or blessed, a daily consecration to Our Lady of Fatima, prayer cards and memory verses, Q&A, and art submitted by members of the guild!
Any youth is welcome to enroll. At their enrollment, youths will receive four special benefits:
- On the Feast Day of Saint José Sánchez del Río, February 10, the Shrine will host a special Mass for the youth guild, at the conclusion of which the celebrant will bless guild members with a first-class relic of Saint José Sánchez del Río.
2. The youths enrolled in the Guild are remembered in the Prayers of the Faithful daily during Holy Mass.
3. As members are commended to the special intercession of Saint José Sánchez del Río, each guild member receives a medal of the young saint.
4. Members receive monthly editions of Full of Grace.
