By Robyn L. Schamel

Below is an interesting piece that represents traditional Catholic teaching on the ability of the mass to earn merit for the worshiper. It gives some insight as to why traditionalists are so intense about liturgy, and it also serves as a practical guide for improving one’s liturgical prayer for the glory of God and for earning more merit for self and loved ones. Thanks to Robyn Schamel for her permission to make the work available online.

Many Catholics nowadays complain that they don’t like going to Mass because they don’t get anything out of it.  Either it’s boring, or annoying, or the priest has nothing new to say, or takes too long saying it, or the choir stinks, or the music sung puts them to sleep, or the incense, if any, makes them sick and the list goes on and on.  Perhaps the real underlying problem for such people is that they don’t know what it is they should get out of the Mass, and not knowing that, they don’t know how to get it. 

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