I. Making a Mass Come Alive…
How do we bring life to a celebration when God himself is the primary agent? Some Christians remind us of this, insisting that a Mass is a Mass—that we need not do much to give it life because, on the contrary, it is the Lord who gives us life.
That is true. Yet the Mass is not only God's action; it is also the action of men and women living in a particular time and place. The Eucharistic celebration, like any celebration, is a feast. And as such, it must meet certain needs and conditions.
Every feast consists of several key elements:
- the gathering of people—you cannot celebrate alone
- words spoken, sung, and shared
- ritual—the offering of flowers, a gift
- sharing—a meal, refreshments
- thanksgiving—gratitude for the gifts received, for the presence of friends
All of this unfolds in a certain atmosphere—music, flowers, decoration—and according to a particular rhythm: moments of exuberant joy, moments of silence.
We find these same elements in the Eucharistic celebration. The Mass brings together the friends of Jesus who listen to the Word of God, thank the Father with Jesus as he offers himself, and share the Bread of Life (the ritual) so that they may live better in love.
To make a Mass come alive is to ensure that the gathering is genuine, that the hearing and sharing of God's Word are alive, that the Eucharist becomes the praise of all the people with, through, and in Jesus, that the sharing of bread becomes communion with the Body of Christ and with all those brothers and sisters who form that Body, and that commitment is awakened.
II. Creating Unity
To ensure both dignity and true participation in the liturgical action of the Mass, some form of animation is needed. It does not begin from scratch: there is already a given structure, a fixed ritual. Yet these do not prevent us from exercising creativity and spontaneity. However, creativity and spontaneity do not mean doing anything at any moment. To animate a Mass means to bring it to life by creating unity among all its elements, making of them a single, unified action. It means weaving together the content, the people, and the flow of the celebration—before, during, and after the Mass itself.
Before: Preparation
For a feast to be celebrated well, some preparation is needed. Preparation does not mean orchestrating everything or determining it all in advance. It means providing a framework for the action, planning ahead, and choosing the right means. A few essential questions guide this work:
a) Regarding content
What will be the central theme, the thread that unifies the different elements of the Mass? This central theme—which will guide the choice of songs and gestures—may come from the liturgy of the day, from the biblical texts, or even from current events.
We might give thanks to God in Jesus for the joy of a beautiful sunny day, for the friendship that binds us together, for the light Jesus offers our lives, or for the forgiveness the Father offers us in Jesus.
b) Regarding the people
How can we make the participation of the people active? What role should we assign, and to whom? What symbols should we use?
For people with disabilities, participation through gesture is often more important than participation through words. We must always keep this in mind.
c) Regarding the flow of the celebration
We need a plan, though this does not prevent us from making adjustments during the celebration if circumstances require it. There is much to say here, but I will focus on songs, music, and gestures.
Songs should not be offered as something separate from the action. They must be woven into what is being lived. Choose them based on the theme of the celebration, their role, and how easy they are to sing. If the central theme is forgiveness, select songs that express conversion, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Some songs fit the opening of Mass, others the conclusion. Some are meant only for a soloist or choir; others suit the whole assembly. For people with disabilities, choose short, easy refrains. And it is often good to repeat the same refrain.
Music serves primarily as accompaniment. Musicians must be very conscious of their role: to support the singing of the assembly. They can prepare the hearing of God's Word or Communion with gentle, meditative background music. It is also very important that musicians and song leaders choose songs not based on their own abilities, but on those of the people participating.
Gestures and postures matter greatly in an assembly that includes people with disabilities. If a gesture is proposed, it must be planned, thought through, and explained so that it is lived with meaning. For example, if the central theme is forgiveness, you might emphasize the penitential rite at the beginning of Mass (inviting participants to bow their heads as a sign of conversion) and the exchange of peace before Communion.
During: Carrying It Out
Animation is exercised especially during the celebration itself. Certain attitudes and abilities are necessary:
a) Regarding content
- the priest's ability to express the central idea in the homily and in the various moments that can introduce the readings, the Eucharistic prayer, the Lord's Prayer, and Communion
- continuity of thought among the different leaders. The song leader must be able to reinforce the central idea expressed by the priest, or vice versa—the priest must be able to refer to the songs that were sung.
b) Regarding the people
- attention to what is actually happening: the ability to observe and notice what unfolds, integrating it into the action taking place
- flexibility and willingness to adapt
- an attitude of prayer; my outward behavior must reflect an inner attitude of prayer.
c) Regarding the flow
- give clear and precise directions
- ask for meaningful gestures
- do one thing at a time, and so on
After: Evaluation
To improve the animation, we must evaluate it honestly and with respect for everyone. Some questions can help determine what worked well and what did not.
a) Regarding content Was the central theme sufficiently developed in the different elements? Was there unity of action and thought? Was it understandable? Why or why not?
b) Regarding the people Did the members of the assembly have a real opportunity to participate? What chances were given to them to build bonds with one another? What could we do to improve the animation?
c) Regarding the flow What went well? What needs improvement? Were the songs and music suitable? Did people understand the gestures proposed?
There is much more that could be said about animating a Mass. I hope these reflections will be useful to all those who, in one way or another, take part in animating a Eucharistic celebration. It is not necessary for a celebration to have many elements. Whatever is chosen must be done well, must have meaning, and must be truly lived.
What matters is to have the desire to celebrate the Risen Jesus together. Animation must nurture, sustain, and strengthen this desire. It will do so if it truly succeeds in bringing the celebration to life—by creating unity in content, in the people gathered, and in the unfolding of the ritual, before, during, and after the liturgical action itself.
Noël SIMARD priest
(translated from French by the editors)