Can One Have A Mass Said For Oneself?

DON’T WAIT: OFFERING A MASS FOR YOURSELF NOW!

OR MASSES FOR THE LIVING TOO! OR WHATEVER YOU WANT!

Is a Mass offered for one who is still living more powerful than a Mass celebrated after he or she has died? Father Edward McNamara, a noted Professor of Liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum University in Rome responded to my inquiry?

“How can we say that one way of offering a Mass is “more powerful” than another?

First of all, it is necessary to clarify that in itself the Mass has the same value of Christ’s paschal mystery of which it is the ritual re-presentation. Therefore, its value is infinite, and one Mass is not more powerful than another.

Thus, any difference in value must be sought in the effect on the person for whom the Sacrifice is being offered.

In the case of the deceased in purgatory any benefit is received passively, since the soul is no longer capable of performing new meritorious acts. While such a soul is already saved, it cannot increase in sanctity but only purify those imperfections which impede its definitive entrance into glory.

A living person, however, is still capable of growing in sanctifying grace. And so a Mass offered for a person already in God’s grace has the effect of offering a gift of increased grace which the person may willingly receive in order to become more Christlike.

As an intercessory prayer, a Mass offered for a person in a state of actual mortal sin may yet supply the grace necessary for repentance even though conversion is always a free acceptance of the grace that is offered.

While the Mass may be offered for other intentions as well (for instance, for those who are ill), I believe that the discourse regarding whether the Mass for the living is more powerful than for the dead lies principally in the above point regarding the possible increase in sanctity. The offering of the Mass may also assist in this increase of sanctity by helping people face their sufferings and trials more deeply united to Christ.

Only the living can become holier, even to the point of directly entering heaven after death. Some might be perplexed by the idea that there can be differences in sanctity in heaven. The saints sometimes used a useful image to describe this possibility.

During life, by freely corresponding with grace, each person prepares his or her own capacity of being filled with God. In heaven, some will be like liqueur glasses; others, beer tankards; others, barrels; and a few oil tankers. The important thing is that all will be filled to the brim, and none will feel the lack of anything necessary for happiness.

Of course, the Church recommends praying and having Masses offered for both the living and the dead, for none should be excluded from our charity.”

Letter of June 5, 2007

The simple lesson is: Pray for the living now; Pray for their eternity. You will help them—and yourselves. During life this translates into the source of actual graces that can help:

Urge a soul to repentance.
Lead an individual to a more fervent prayer life.
Enable a person to persevere against the Evil One and the danger of our world.
Grow in the ability to believe in love of God and of neighbor.

A means of assuring for ourselves a holy death if we place no voluntary obstacle in the way!

Have a holy Mass offered from time to time for the intention of your sanctification and perseverance in grace. And tend to loved ones!

When a birthday, anniversary, holy day or holiday comes along ask for a Holy Mass or Mass Enrollment for you and do the same for others. It may be done now in the dark of this earth, but it will follow you into the light to heaven!

For $5 Mass stipend and Gregorian Masses $200 stipend contact Society of the Propagation of the Faith, 212.371.1000 Ext. 2700; for Family Perpetual enrollments for $25 visit: msf-america.org