Keeping Holy the Sabbath Day without Mass

The Church teaches us that the family home is a Domestic Church. The father is the spiritual leader in the home and, as such, is Christ’s representative for his wife and children.

The mother should act like Our Blessed Mother (the Theotokos) and be the meek and humble means through which salvation can be accessed. Her example should support her husband and guide her children.

There are many ways in which we can establish our homes as domestic churches on a daily basis.

Lighting candles at the dinner table, like the lighting of candles around the altar, is a poignant symbol of the home as a domestic church.

Similarly, praying the family rosary unites us directly to the mysteries of Our Lord’s life.

Keeping Holy Water at the door of your home and blessing yourself when you leave and enter is a constant reminder of our baptismal promise.

But now, we are in strange times. We can no longer all pile into the car early on a Sunday morning and sweep into the Church with babies crying and the incense raising our hearts and minds to the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. The churches are locked, and Holy Mass is being said only behind closed doors. However, the Third Commandment states: “keep Holy the Sabbath day”. So how can we, practically, keep this commandment during this time?

At the normal time you would attend mass make your home as much like a Church as possible. Ensure your family is dressed in their Sunday best, place lighted candles beside a Crucifix in a prominent place in your home and gather your children around. Remind your children to place themselves with St. John and Our Lady at the foot of the altar. Now you can begin to make a Spiritual Communion.

Below is a suggestion of how to lead your family in a Dry Mass (a colloquial term to describe going through the non-sacrificial prayers of the Mass and completing a Spiritual Communion. It is not a valid Mass in which the Sacrifice of Calvary is commemorated, or bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. However, it is a devotional way to receive Christ spiritually in a time when Mass is unavailable).

1. Sing a traditional hymn

2. Make the sign of the cross.

3. The father of the house (if possible) should lead the family in reciting the Confiteor and the Kyrie to make reparation for sins.

4. The propers of the mass should be read and reflected upon (for a resource, the Divine Intimacy meditation would work perfectly as a reflection).

5. The Credo should then be recited followed by the Pater Noster (Creed then the Our Father).

6. Another prayer should be made here in reparation for sins e.g. “May the Lord have mercy upon me, and forgive me, my sins and bring me to life everlasting”

7. Then a Spiritual Communion should be made. (Although this does not replace a Sacramental Communion, if done well, Our Lord can grant many graces to worthy faithful.) A simple way to make a spiritual communion is to again, bring your mind to the foot of the Altar and say, in the words of St Alphonsus Ligouri; “My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. Amen.”

8. Follow this with the pray “O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving, Be every moment Thine.” - 3 times

9. If the Father is present, he may bless his wife and children.

10. Next, the Gospel of John, Chapter 1: 1-14 should be read.

11. A final hymn should then be sung to close your Dry Mass.

It would also be advisable to encourage your family to stay and meditate on the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist for a few minutes afterwards, if possible. Otherwise, you could conclude with the Hail Holy Queen and the Prayer to St Michael.

Throughout the day, you should also remember to “keep holy”. Unnecessary work should be completely avoided, time for meditation on the mysteries of our faith and quality recreation time as a family should be encouraged.

It is important to state that the above outline can NOT make up for Sunday Mass and is not Sacramental. However, at this desperate time when Mass is unavailable, this is a means to keep the Ten Commandments.

It is a trying time for us all to comprehend. many of us are just trying to get our heads around just making sure we have enough food on the table. But use this time! Now is the time that will makes Saints.