The Mass is ended!

We hear a directive from the priest (sometimes the deacon) at the end of every Mass. It is not just a statement that the Mass is over. It is a directive to go forth from the Church with the message of Christ for all those we encounter.

The gospel Thursday describes how Christ sent out the twelve apostles. (Mark 6:7-13) They had spent three years with Christ. They must have felt exuberant about their own connectedness to Christ. What if they had just gone back to their lives acting the same as before they had met Christ? Where would we be today?

Granted, most of us are not going to be missionaries in the sense that the apostles were, but we are expected to spread the Word of Christ in our daily lives at home, at work, with our families, friends, and even our enemies.

We too, received the Holy Spirit on the day of our Confirmation. We should react with zeal and confidence when we hear the priest say, "The Mass is ended! Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another!"