Mass begins. The choir sings the entrance hymn. The priest processes reverently to the altar.
The Sign of the Cross opens our sacred encounter with heaven... and… we're not there yet.
Maybe we’re rushing up the path, breathless and distracted. Maybe we’re just leaving home, thinking, “I’ll miss the beginning, but at least I’ll make it for Communion.” Maybe it’s become a habit. A harmless little habit - so we think.
But what joy is there in being regularly late for Mass?
No Ordinary Gathering
Let’s remind ourselves what we’re walking into when we attend Mass.
It’s not a club meeting or a lecture. It is the Holy Sacrifice. Christ offers Himself, through the hands of the priest, for the forgiveness of sins and the life of the world. Heaven breaks through. Angels surround the altar. The veil between this life and eternity is lifted.
And we are invited - not merely to observe, but to participate.
To be late is to step in halfway through a miracle!
Yes, sometimes things happen. Children are sick. Traffic is unexpected. Alarm clocks fail. God understands all of that. But being habitually, comfortably, casually late? That’s a symptom of a deeper problem - one of lukewarmness, distraction, or a misaligned heart.
Let’s be honest: many of us make far greater efforts to be on time for films, trains, or restaurant bookings than we do for the Holy Eucharist. And that’s a scandal.
He Died a Horrific Death - For Us!
Think of Christ on the Cross.
His body shredded by scourging. His head crowned with thorns, each point piercing His flesh. Nails driven through His wrists and feet. His back grinding against the splinters of wood. Blood running into His eyes. Breathing, barely possible. Mocked. Stripped. Humiliated. Dying.
And He saw us. He knew our name. He did it for our souls.
And yet, we can’t even be bothered to turn up on time...
The opening rites of the Mass are not optional. They prepare our hearts to meet God.
The Penitential Act cleanses us of venial sin.
The readings speak God’s living Word. When we arrive late, we don’t just miss a few words - we miss the invitation to enter into the mystery with a properly disposed soul.
It’s not just poor timekeeping - it’s a spiritual loss.
The Quiet Joy of Reverence
What if, just once, we arrived ten minutes early?
What if we knelt in the pew, closed our eyes, and said nothing?
What if you offered our week - our struggles, sins, hopes, and hurts - to God before the liturgy even began?
What if we came ready?
We would notice a difference. A stillness would descend. The words of the liturgy would come alive. The presence of Christ in the Eucharist would move you more deeply. Joy would blossom in our souls - not the loud, shallow joy of worldly excitement, but the deep joy of knowing we are where you should be.
Because joy is not found in rushing, or just-in-time-ness.
Joy is found in honouring God with our time, our attention, and our hearts.
Devotional Reflection
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:21
What do our habits say about our hearts?
Do we rush into Mass as if it’s something to “get through”, or do we approach as if we were entering a holy place - a thin space between time and eternity?
God has given us everything... and yet we sometimes give Him the crumbs of our schedules.
Today, let's reflect on whether our pattern of lateness is truly unavoidable - or has it become acceptable to us?
Imagine how we would prepare if Christ Himself were standing at the church door waiting to welcome us. How would we dress? How early would we arrive? How much would we look forward to it?
The truth is: He is there. Waiting. Longing.
Let us never keep Him waiting again.
A Short Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You gave Your very life for me, enduring suffering and shame beyond measure.
And yet I admit, I have so often rushed to Mass without reverence, arriving late, distracted, and unready.
Forgive me, Lord.
Stir in me a deeper love, a greater awe, and a burning desire to honour You with my time.
Help me to prepare with joy, to arrive with peace, and to worship with all my heart.
Teach me the value of those opening moments at the altar -
For they are not small. They are holy.
Amen.
A Guided Meditation – “The Quiet Before the Liturgy”
Find a still place. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Now imagine…
You walk into the church ten minutes before Mass begins. The air is still. A few people are praying silently. The red sanctuary lamp flickers beside the tabernacle.
You kneel and rest your hands on the pew. You say nothing.
Slowly, you become aware of God’s presence. You recall the week - the sins, the blessings, the burdens. You offer them all to Him.
A bell rings faintly in the sacristy. The choir hums a gentle note. You feel a stir in your heart - He is coming.
This is your moment to meet Him.
You didn’t rush. You didn’t stumble in late. You were ready.
And in that readiness, there is peace.
You hear Him whisper in your heart:
“I have been waiting for you. Thank you for being here.”
A Poem – “The Bells Had Rung Before I Came”
The bells had rung before I came,
The choir sang out His holy Name.
The Gospel passed, the Creed was prayed,
While I, in worldly thinking, stayed.
The Lord of glory bled and died,
Nailed to a Cross, arms open wide -
And still I slouched and hit the snooze,
Forgetting what I stand to lose.
For every Mass a Calvary is,
A throne of mercy, pain, and bliss.
The angels kneel, the saints draw near -
Yet I stroll in, unready, unclear.
But no more shall I treat with scorn
The Mass for which my Lord was torn.
I’ll rise with joy, I’ll run ahead -
For Mass is where the living are fed.
The bells now ring - a different sound -
For I am there, on hallowed ground.
And when He comes, I’ll meet His gaze -
Prepared, in awe, and full of praise.
Practical Steps to Arrive on Time (Or Early!)
If you’re serious about breaking the habit of lateness, try these:
1. Set two alarms on Saturday night – one for waking, one as a "leave now" reminder.
2. Lay out your clothes, keys, and shoes the night before.
3. Aim to be at the church 15 minutes before Mass begins.
4. Use a paper or digital calendar to block out “Mass prep” time.
5. Offer up your effort as a spiritual gift - for the souls in Purgatory, or for someone who can’t attend Mass.
Your Example Matters
Remember: our habits are a witness. Our children, our spouse, our fellow parishioners - they see us.
If we constantly arrive late, we unintentionally send the message: “Mass isn’t that important.” But if we’re there early, prayerful, and prepared, you proclaim something very different: “This matters. Jesus matters.”
We never know who we might inspire simply by being early and present.
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So, what joy is there in being regularly late for Mass?
None.
There is no joy in scrambling in at the Gospel. No peace in missing the start of the sacred mystery. No honour in treating the Lord of Heaven and Earth like an afterthought.
But there is great joy in arriving early.
There is joy in the stillness.
Joy in readiness.
Joy in reverence.
There is immeasurable joy in the heart of Christ when He sees you there, waiting for Him - on time, or even early, ready to worship, ready to love.
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Come Visit Us
If you’re looking for a place to rekindle your love for the Mass, or to simply sit in the quiet before the Lord -
You are warmly invited to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in New Milton.
Come early. Be still. He is waiting for you.
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Visit Our Parish Website
ourladyoflourdes.co.uk
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, New Milton
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let's stay faithful, and let's stay Catholic
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