Understanding the Self

eLMS Activity – Essay 1

RELIGIOUS RITUAL: Sunday Mass

The Sunday Mass is the central act of

worship of the Roman Catholic
Church. It illustrates and observe the
celebration of the sacrament of the
Eucharist.

In the eucharistic prayer, the church

commemorates Jesus Christ and his
redeeming work, especially his
sacrifice for the sake of all humankind through
his crucifixion.

Observations And Experiences on the Sunday

Mass.

I am not a catholic, but I do respect all channels

of spiritual denominations as long as it aims
Christianity as a whole. During the past years, I
had experiences attending the Sunday Catholic
Mass because I was invited by my friends to get along with them. My Mother and Grand
mother often takes me to a Sunday
Mass on Barangay Julugan (Wawa) in
my town in Tanza, Cavite which I
enjoyed because they always had an
early dinner feast of different kinds of
sea foods.
A potluck is a communal gathering
where each guest or group contributes a
different, often homemade, dish of food to
be shared or what they also called fellowship
meal.

The Mass incorporates the Sacred Scriptures

from the bible which are pre-assigned every
week. Ceremonies also includes prayers,
sacrifices, regular hymns, symbols of the eucharist, gestures on praying and sacred food for the
soul.

As I also observed the Sunday Mass in my Barangay which was help in a small Chapel. People
still attend the mass standing outside the chapel. People just find their places or spot and listen
at the mass proceeds. The Mass starts at exactly 6:00 am and ends at 7:00 am. The ceremony
was very solemn despite some vehicle noises
outside, people concentrate on the ceremony and
does not seem distracted.

Also, after the mass is a family tome where people

enjoy having some bonding time. After the mass,
some people buy some breakfast like porridge
with eggs, pancit Malabon and some ‘puto’ from a
nearby ‘karinderia’. Some people bring their children to the mall and have some bonding time.

Families, group of friends, individuals from the Barangay office and even passers by stops and
attend the mass. This only show, specifically in my local, that people had certain share of their
time to practice their religious activity.
Sunday is the rest day for them and the
time to remember Jesus Christ and
meditate their own spirituality. Catholicism brings this people together during this day and
unify their belief in Christianity.

The sign of the cross is the most evident gesture that you will identify their belongingness. In
my community, motorist, bikers, group of people going to the basketball court or vendors, they
stop for a while or managed sometime to do
the sign of the cross showing their faith and
addressing small prayers as they pass by the
church. This show, what I have noticed, is a
strong implication of spirituality. A gesture
and a ritual that shows you religious
identity.

Why do you think people (Catholics)

believes in this ritual?

The mass is at once a memorial and a sacrifice. The church commemorates Jesus Christ and his
redeeming work, specifically how Jesus Christ sacrifice for the sake of all humankind through his
crucifixion. An individual who practices his or her has a certain goal, salvation.

The Mass became a tradition and a culture itself. People lives with traditions and with it
practices in which they belong. The mass is the formal, official worship service of Catholicism. It
is a sacred act of worship in the Catholic Church.
Going to Mass is the only way a Catholic can
fulfill the Third Commandment to keep holy the
Sabbath day and the only regular opportunity to
receive the Holy Eucharist. Specially the Sunday
Mass is the main event where they can
participate, relay their outbringing to Jesus, give
thanks to all the blessings and ask for guidance
and protection. That is why, I mainly observe the
vast amount of people attending in all Sunday
Masses in my Town. Christianity (and the beliefs on the guidance of the saints) brings them
closer to God and throw away all negative aspects that will come in their way.

How does the Sunday Mass affect the members of the community?

The Sunday Mass for Christians believes that the Church can be a stabilizing force for good in a
world that is increasingly unreligious. The Church can support people who are going through
difficulties, whatever background they may come from. Going to Church reminds us that we
believed that there is someone who is powerful than us and the creator.
Going to a church or in a mass connects the people’s divine intervention and present a faith.
People go to church because they worship. Liturgy represents a communal response to and
participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, remembrance,
supplication, or repentance. It forms a basis for establishing a relationship with a divine agency.
By going to the mass, people are also educated by the history of the bible and how scriptures
can be defined to our present life. The mass also engages the community to donate and
participate on community services by helping other people in need.
It encourages the community to always reflect their life, realistically on our faith in God. It will
remind us that the proof of worshiping is our existence that we should always be thankful for.