This topic was discussed during the FCG session on 1 Sep 1999. Samuel invited the FCG members to send him their thoughts, and here are some of the responses that he received:

Do you have any thoughts of your own?? Do share them with us !!

¯From Brandon Yuen:

I try to make the mass meaningful to me by reaching out to members of the community standing near me, especially (or sometimes, ONLY) when offering a sign of peace. I'm actually talking more about mass in my own parish, coz Mass in school is already so lively and united. Many things we say during Mass are not spoken directly to God, but rather spoken as a community to each other e.g. "May the Lord bless us" as opposed to "Bless us, oh Lord", and that kinda implies. I guess. that it is important that we feel together as a community in Church.

¯­Thoughts of Luke Chen:

What the Mass means to me: Foremost in my mind is that it is our highest form of worship, a special opportunity to receive the grace of God to help me in my pursuit of sanctity and to just get by in life. It is where i receive strength to meet the pressures of life (schoolwork, relationships, struggle against sin). It is for me, the most concrete way i receive daily, the daily bread which we ask for whenever we pray the Our Father.

How do u make Mass meaningful? For me, i try to participate as best as i can in the Mass - thru responses, singing. i also allow myself to express myself in gestures (bowing with the priest to the consecrated bread and wine, for example) - thus Mass becomes a very physical activity for me and thru the physical things, i am somehow brought closer to the divine. Much of the meaning derives also from the fact that i find life a struggle - thus every mass, i find myself offering up my struggles and asking and receiving the strength i need to go on. Mass is also a time for me to orientate myself towards what i know is my mission - to be bread broken for others as Jesus was. With these thoughts in mind, and a basic understanding of the various parts of the Mass, the Mass carries much meaning for me.

¯­Although Yep Min has graduated from NUS, he took some time off to write the following:

Mass is something that's still elusive to me. Afterall, I've yet to be able to receive the Holy Eucharist. Nevertheless, it's a 'home-coming' for me, especialy when I had a lousy day or week, or when I've been at fault for something.... just like any of us who looks forward to returning home after a hard day at school or work. I find comfort, love and assurance at Mass, to realise once again that I need God and God is in all things. All these said, Mass would be meaningful and beautify if and only if we prepare for it. From trying to be slightly earlier to pray or to dwell in the readings(though I have rarely do that!), to being a good child of God everyday, so that I can look up and 'face up' to God during Mass.

­Ong Pei Xuan has this to say about the mass:

The thing that really touches me during mass is during the sermon... When I can personally relate to the topic, it leads to some kind of self-realisation and helps me to change myself for the better... I guess that's what that actually draws me to a mass...