This story (based on true events!) reminds us that every time we go to Mass, we should have a special prayer request. We call this a “Mass intention.” (We can actually offer more than one intention at a Mass. God hears all our prayers!!!) The story also reminds us that the Mass is the most powerful prayer when asking God to hear our prayer requests!!! What are some intentions you can pray for when you go to Mass this Sunday/Saturday evening?
One of the men who was there when this story happened in real life started going to Mass every day this experience. Eventually one of his sons was called to be a priest. (He became Fr. Stanislaus, SS.CC.) Why do you think the man who was there started going to Mass every day? Why do you think his son said yes to becoming a priest when God called him?
Maybe you have skipped Mass on Sunday, or maybe you have been tempted to skip Mass like the people in the story. Sometimes, like them, we just do not realize how amazing and powerful the Mass is. It is sometimes hard to understand the true “weight of a Mass,” so our hearts grow cold. Talk about different reasons why it is important to go to Mass each week. Then, add “Sunday Mass” to every calendar (paper and electronic!) in your house on each Sunday/Saturday evening for the weekends remaining in the year!
DO one or more of the following:
Make a plan to help you remember to offer an intention each time you go to Mass. You might make a box, put slips of paper near it, write down any intentions you have during the week, place the paper in the box, and then look through your intentions before you go to Mass each Sunday/Saturday evening. Some other ideas to do this are:
Find a fancy rock or some pretty object in your home. When you write down your intentions, you can place the intentions under the object.
Decorate a notebook and make it your special “Mass Intention Journal” for writing down your intentions each week.
Additionally, your family may want to pray a “family intention.” You could decide what that intention will be each week as you drive to Mass. It could be a need for your own family, a need for someone else, or a need for the world ‒ such as praying for peace, for children who are hungry, for mothers who are pregnant, etc.
Download and color one (or more) of the three coloring pages at this site: https://cathfamily.org/communion-colour-in/. On the back side, write good reasons for going to Mass. Ask your family, your grandparents, and others to give you additional good reasons. See how many you can discover!
PRAY: 1) Gather around a picture of Jesus, a crucifix, a candle, a bible, and/or anything that might remind you of God. 2) Say, “Jesus we love you and know you love us, too. We need your help in so many ways.” 3) Family members take turns praying, “Please _____________.” (Fill in the blank with an intention. Family members respond after each intention, “Lord, hear our prayer.”) 4) End with, “Thank you, Jesus for hearing our prayers. Amen.” 5) Make the Sign of the Cross