Saints Light
The Mass · Lesson 2 of 10

Before Mass: What Should I Do (and Not Do)?

Arrive early and quiet, bless yourself with holy water, genuflect to the tabernacle, and follow the people around you. Only Catholics in the state of grace receive Communion; others are warmly welcome to pray or come forward for a blessing where it is the custom.

This is a summary of Lesson 2 of The Mass, Explained. The full lesson takes about 3 minutes in the Saints Light app.

The Mass at Bolsena, a painting by Raphael
The Mass at Bolsena, Raphael, 1512

What this lesson teaches

  • Catholics attend Mass every Sunday and holy day; a Saturday evening Mass counts for Sunday.
  • Bless yourself with holy water at the door, and genuflect toward the tabernacle before entering the pew.
  • Catholics fast for one hour before Communion and receive only in the state of grace.
  • Non-Catholics are welcome, do not receive Communion, and may come forward for a blessing where the parish allows.

Catechism paragraphs this lesson cites

  • CCC 1378
  • CCC 1385-1387
  • CCC 1398-1401
  • CCC 1415
  • CCC 2180-2182

CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.

Scripture read in this lesson: Psalm 121:1 (122:1 in most modern Bibles); 1 Corinthians 11:28.

A sample question from this lesson

How long is the Eucharistic fast before Communion?

  1. From midnight the night before
  2. Three hours from all food and drink
  3. One hour from food and drink, except water and medicine
  4. There is no fast any more
Show the answer

One hour from food and drink, except water and medicine. The lesson explains the one-hour fast, with water and medicine allowed and the elderly and sick excused (canon 919).

The lesson in the app has three questions, each with an explanation.

Words to know

Genuflect
To bend the right knee to the floor as a sign of adoration toward Christ in the tabernacle.
Eucharistic fast
Abstaining from food and drink, except water and medicine, for one hour before Communion.
Holy day of obligation
A major feast on which Catholics are bound to attend Mass, as on Sunday; the list varies by country.

More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.

Read the full lesson in the app

"Before Mass: What Should I Do (and Not Do)?" is lesson 2 of The Mass, Explained. In Saints Light you get the whole teaching, the Scripture quoted in full, all three questions and a step to live it this week.

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