Susan pulled into the church parking lot on Sunday morning, early as usual. The children had just finished their morning Rosary. During Mass, the choir was perfectly on key and the priest’s sermon seemed tailored to Susan’s life. Each moment felt spiritually fulfilling and uplifting. When the service was over, Susan breathed a sigh of contentment. “Ah,” she said, “another perfect Mass.”

It doesn’t take long to realize that this story is fiction. In the Mass we know, someone’s cell phone rings, or someone’s child starts crying in the middle of the Eucharistic prayer. Our minds wander, or we get bored. With all the distractions, the imperfections, how can we have a spiritual experience? How can we get any meaning out of Mass?

Read 20 ways to get more from the Mass at Catholic Digest.