While both Mass and bible study exists to internalize the word of God, Mass relies on the priest to give a homily, provide the transfigured bread and wine, and encourage listening to apply the word of God to your life. Whereas bible study uses the structure of a few questions and verses to enforce more communication and discussion- revealing that Mass values lecture and fulfilment while bible study values discussion and learning. Mass uses its environment to rewrite a person as a communal transcendent posture, which differentiates from bible study having more of an open experience giving personal thoughts, experiences, or impacts.

Mass has many features built into it that cause the people attending to become that communal transcendent posture. The physical can change since mass is not always held in a big beautiful cathedral. While that also takes place in this change in our behavior by encouraging you to recognize the significance of what you are attending, there are churches that do not have this, meaning there are other things forming us to act a certain way. For example, a more simple catholic church will still always have the altar in which the eucharist will always be placed. Now, why is that? This is because the catholic church put God before and above everything. This change in placement between us and the lord reminds us to stay humble and remember our place before him. This may sound scary to some, but most catholics say it feels like home. Possibly because they have gone to church all their lives, but structure also plays a big role. Usually, church does feel like a home with beautiful stained glass windows telling stories full of color, told by rays of sunshine plowing through, or with choirs that sing songs everyone knows.

Bible study does give a sense of comfort, but in its own way. A smaller room filled with people sitting in a circle which encourages more conversation rather than just listening to a homily. Here people know to listen to others and participate when possible because it is a safe space to be vulnerable and ask many questions. When there, it tends to remind me of a therapy circle because of the seating and the feeling you get when everyone is seen and given the opportunity to speak. Another key structure about this that makes us feel more open towards each other, is the fact that everyone is around the same age. When near your peers, most people tend to relate more and this has caused people to get a lot more comfortable with each other and having certain conversations. Not only the physical structure but also the verbal and routine. 

Unlike mass, both parties speak. First, the verses are read and we meditate on them for a bit. Then we answer questions about what we think this means and how we can connect this to our own lives. This gets everyone on the same level while more than likely having different thoughts and connections, eventually leading to conversations comparing and connecting views. Bible study does bring people closer, but not the way mass does. Both mass and bible study have a purpose to bring the word of God into our lives and bring people together, but mass unites us to spiritually connect to God, while bible study brings us together to strengthen our doubt or weaknesses to look for a deeper relationship and understanding with the Lord. This ultimately brings us back to the point that Mass values lecture and fulfilment while bible study values discussion and learning.