Beginning my third year at Xavier, I can confidently say one of my favorite aspects of our school is the ability to gather together and participate in Mass. It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or senior, popular or not, or what your faith background is, we are all gathered together in Mass to celebrate God’s love for every one of us.

I expect some hesitation from the congregation in these Masses, especially with the freshmen. It’s your first week of school and you’re trying to find your comfort zone. Maybe you aren’t confident in your singing abilities or responding to the prayers isn’t what your best friend is doing. You don’t want to stand out. I’ve been in that exact same place and although I’ve moved beyond it, I understand how you may be feeling.

Although I understand, it doesn’t justify the complete lack of regard for what is happening in front of us. Since it would be pretty impractical to get kneelers installed in the gym, during all school Masses when the priest says the words of consecration, displays the consecrated host, and genuflects, we are expected to bow. It’s pretty disheartening when I glance up afterwards and see that a significant number of students did little more than move their head up and down. Frankly, it’s sad that a miracle was performed in front of our very eyes, yet we are responding with the enthusiasm of showing up for school on the day after finals. While approaching communion, or immediately thereafter, I don’t want to look up and see people talking to their friend about how hard the vocab quiz was. Instead of talking, I encourage us to reflect on the fact that we are receiving the body and soul of our savior.

Here we are, gathered in front of each other and in front of the Almighty God, and we can’t say “Amen” or “And with your spirit”. We can’t seem to sing the refrain of “Go Make a Difference” (easily the simplest song in the book). Even though it may be hard to handle that third verse of “Taste and See” (it happens to all of us), by no means should we be lacking in our reverence to The Eucharist.

I’m not saying I’m perfect, because everyone knows I’m not. This wasn’t meant to be a letter of condemnation, but rather a call to action. Xavier’s mission is to develop the total person in a Catholic environment. Instead of relying on the theology staff and administration, imagine if we took this mission statement into our own hands. If we all start at the next all school Mass by reciting the prayers and keeping a reverent atmosphere, just imagine where we could go from there.

Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew that he has built his church and nothing will prevail against it. If nothing will prevail against us singing and saying a few prayers, then what do we have to lose?