The Church states that:

The faithful fulfill their liturgical role by making that full, conscious and active participation which is demanded by the nature of the liturgy itself… This participation (a) Should be above all internal, in the sense that by it the faithful join their mind to what they pronounce or hear, and cooperate with heavenly grace, (b) Must be, on the other hand, external also, that is, such as to show the internal participation by gestures and bodily attitudes, by the acclamations, responses and singing. The faithful should also be taught to unite themselves interiorly to what the ministers or choir sing, so that by listening to them they may raise their minds to God. (Musicam Sacram #15)

These words clearly teach us that “active participation” at Mass refers primarily to an interior disposition of the heart. One can describe the Mass as a movement of a group of people into the way of Jesus Christ, namely, his life, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. The making present of this movement, led by the priest, involves singing, words, gestures, and other actions we call rituals. Rituals are symbolic actions that signify and communicate something much deeper, which in the Mass means the saving mysteries of Christ. When we are drawn into the movement of the Mass we become partakers, or participants, in the very mysteries that save us. For this reason, being conscious and aware of what we are doing at Mass is absolutely necessary for our spiritual health. 

How might this conscious awareness be raised? Most importantly we must know the mercy of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Every thought, word, and action of Jesus reveals a God who loves us! Our DAILY meditation on the thoughts, feelings, words and actions of Jesus will place us in contact with SOMEONE who loves us. In Jesus we discover a love that heals and saves. Our daily contact with Jesus through silent meditation on the Gospels prepares us to enter into (a) the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ, and (b) the heavenly wedding feast of the Lamb, made present at every Mass.  We need a personal sense that the offering of our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls to God is a sacred activity when we make this offering with Jesus at Mass. Vatican II affirms:

The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full collaboration. They should be instructed by God's word and be nourished at the table of the Lord's body; they should give thanks to God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn also to offer themselves; through Christ the Mediator, they should be drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other, so that finally God may be all in all. (Sacrosanctum Concilium # 48)

Active participation at Mass literally means being drawn into the saving mysteries we celebrate. For this reason we should not judge a Mass based on the feelings we get or don’t get. Rather, the questions should be: Did I encounter the Lord Jesus Christ at this Mass? Did I drink deeply of the wellspring of those deep life-giving waters of grace that flow though the sacraments of the Church? Did I freely offer myself as a living sacrifice to the Father with Jesus and the other faithful? Did I have a sense of making this offering with those around me, and did I receive the blessings of the Father’s house?

To answer these questions necessarily requires a contemplative interior disposition, a heart that is silent and receptive. So if we come to Mass expecting to be entertained, or to get a special feeling of community, we will be disappointed sooner or later. If we come interiorly recollected, deeply aware of our weakness, sinfulness, and hunger for God, we are then ready to receive what the Lord wants to give us. Everything that happens at Mass, from singing, to words, prayers, and gestures, should help us to receive the goodness of God. Our active participation in the goodness of God builds true Christian community.

Fr. Will