By Sister Ruth Battaglia CSA

With the announcement that there will be a wedding in the family or the birth of a child preparation for the transforming event begins. Not only are there tasks to be done, purchases to be made, and new accommodations to be arranged, but also one begins an inward preparation for the life changes that will follow. For any significant event in life there is this twofold process of preparation.

For us Catholics a life-changing event happens at every celebration of the Eucharist. It too calls for similar inner and external preparation. How do we prepare each week for the profound exchange between God and us that occurs at each Mass? While still at home we may read the Sunday Scriptures and spend some time in meditation. Or we may afford ourselves enough time before Mass for this. We reflect on our lives. For what are we especially grateful? Where do we need healing and reconciliation? Who needs our prayers? What it is the bread and wine of our lives that we present for consecration? Having spent some time in preparation we are now ready for full, active and conscious participation in the sacred mysteries.

Preparation continues with the introductory rites of the Mass itself. These rites draw us from our separate ways into a communion of people and dispose us to listen to the proclaimed word of God and to celebrate Eucharist. We begin by recognizing the presence of Christ in each other. We genuflect at the presence of Christ in the tabernacle or bow to his presence symbolized in the altar. Once we are unified in song, we affirm our unity in Christ by signing ourselves with the cross.

After the liturgical greeting of the presider we are given silent time to reflect on our own sinfulness. We renew our baptism through the rite of sprinkling or we pray a litany in praise of our merciful God who has conquered sin and death. On Sundays outside of Lent and Advent we raise our voices in a song of joyful praise, the Glory to God. The collect prayer follows providing the specific focus of the celebration to which we acclaim, "Amen."

We have prepared well. Now we are open to being radically changed through the power of the Word and Breaking of the Bread. Transformation has begun.