During my college years, I went down to Mexico during several summers. It was remarkably inexpensive and therefore within the reach of my very limited budget. On one of those occasions, I was alone, staying at a beautiful old colonial hotel in the city of Morelia. I got up early that morning as was my habit and went to Mass at the splendid old cathedral of Morelia which was just a block from the hotel. The beauty of the ancient church, the impressiveness of the Latin liturgy spoken with a Mexican accent, the obvious devotion of those who surrounded me at Mass -- all this contributed to a deep sense of worship and prayer, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Mass, even though enjoyment should not be the main reason for attending Mass.

After Mass I walked across the main square which lay between the cathedral and my hotel. It was a beautiful summer day with flowers blooming in the square, birds singing, and the city coming alive for another day of activity. I went into the hotel dining room for breakfast. Some Americans were sitting at the next table and I could hear their conversation. Shortly afterwards, another of their group joined them for breakfast. One of the ladies already at the table said to the newcomer, in a very upstate New York accent that grated on my ears, "Good murning. Have you had your breakfast?" After the beauty of the Latin at Mass, the soft murmur of the prayers around me in the cathedral, the warm glow of the candles, and the thoughts expressed to our Heavenly Father in the Mass, the lady's question to her friend in the travel group suddenly seemed hollow, trite, unworthy of the beginning of a new day in this beautiful old city in the Mexican hill country. I couldn't quite explain why it struck me that way. After all, the question was perfectly proper, the kind of thing that travelers in a group say to one another when they meet at breakfast. But for that moment, it seemed very unimportant, very trivial after the holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the reception of Holy Communion.

I hope that you make an effort to attend Mass more often than just on Sundays. I hope that you treat yourself to the great joy of receiving our Divine Lord in Holy Communion frequently. Especially during Lent, I hope that you heed the stupendous invitation of Christ: "Take this and eat. This is my Body." God bless you.

Fr. Victor Brown, O.P.