The sacraments are given to us as ways to nourish, in various ways, an active love for God and neighbor. They are means to an end, not ends in themselves.
I’d first offer that many of life’s most essential duties are boring -- changing the oil in your car, going to the dentist, cleaning the house -- and yet, our lives wouldn’t function to their fullest without such things. So, too is the practice of Catholics going to Mass.
The Blood of Christ will not be offered during Mass. The Host will be placed in the hands, not on the tongue. And the faithful should not hold hands while reciting the “Our Father.”
Overlooking the Moran Prairie is the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, an enchanting facility that hosts a number of programs and retreats throughout the year. From March 1-3, Immaculate Heart will be hosting a retreat for men and women about Mass based on (and named after) the Rev. Jeremy Driscoll’s book “What Happens at Mass.” The retreat will detail the true nature and importance of Mass, both traditionally and theologically.