Why Must I Attend Sunday Mass? Fr. Thomas G. Morrow
- Jesus said, "Do this in memory of me" (Lk. 22:19) at
the Last Supper. The only way I can fulfill this
command is by attending Mass.
- Jesus said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do
not have life within you" (Jn. 6:53). To have no "life
within you" is to be without sanctifying grace, which is
necessary for friendship with God, and ultimately, for
salvation. May you receive the Eucharist (the flesh of
Jesus) if you don't attend Sunday Mass regularly? No,
because:
- It is a serious sin to miss Mass on Sundays or holy days.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful
are bound to participate in the Mass (Can. 1247) . . . . The
Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of
all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful
are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of
obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for
example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by
their own pastor (Can. 1245). Those who deliberately fail
in this obligation commit a grave sin (par. 2181).
Thus, you cannot receive the Eucharist worthily if you
don't attend Sunday Mass weekly, since being in grave
sin means that you may not receive the sacraments.
If you are in grave sin, you must go to confession
before receiving the Eucharist again.
- The third commandment is still in effect: "Keep holy
the Lord's day." What could be holier than the Mass?
The Mass sanctifies our Sundays and holy days.
- "From the liturgy . . . especially from the Eucharist,
grace is poured forth upon us as from a fountain, and
the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification
of God to which all other activities of the Church are
directed, as toward their end, are achieved with
maximum effectiveness." (Vatican II, Decree on
Sacred Liturgy, para. 10)
- "But I work on Sunday!" some say. For an occasional
crisis, you can be excused from Sunday Mass, if you
work from early morning until late at night Saturday
and Sunday. But, in many places, early morning or
evening Masses are available at nearby churches.
Anyone who works every Sunday and does not need to in
order to provide basic necessities such as food and
clothing, should find a way to avoid Sunday work. Those
who give themselves and their time to God first find
that they are blessed, and need not work so hard.
Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things (food, drink,
clothing) will be given you besides" (Mt. 6:33).
- "But I don't get anything out of it!" When a husband
does what his wife wants rather than what he wants,
does he get anything out of it? When we got to Mass
we're not trying to get something, but to give back,
because of all that Jesus did for us. Is one hour on
Sunday too much to ask?
- "But I'm a good person. I do many good works for my
neighbor," you say? First, loving your neighbor is the
second great commandment, not the first. The first is
to love God with all your heart, soul and mind (Mt. 22:
37). Also, as St. John Vianney said, "All good works put
together are not equivalent to the sacrifice of the
Mass, because they are the works of men and the Holy
Mass is the work of God."
- Jesus died on the cross to make our salvation possible.
The Mass is primarily the re-offering of this one great
sacrifice of love. Can we say we love God if we won't
even come to simply share in offering this holy
sacrifice at least once a week?
- If only we knew how many graces we receive from the
Mass, how powerful an offering it is for our departed
relatives in Purgatory, how pleasing it is to God, we
would consider going to Mass every day! On the other
hand, if only we knew how displeasing it is to God for us
to miss Sunday Mass, we would move mountains in order
to be there every Sunday, and never, never miss,
except when sick, caring for the sick, or prevented by
lack of transportation.
- Finally, don't think that going to Mass every Sunday and
holy day will guarantee your salvation. It won't. God
expects much more: prayer, receiving the sacraments
of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, good works for
others, etc. But intentionally missing Mass on Sunday
or a holy day without a serious reason is to fall short
of the minimum obligations of love. The eternal
consequences of this are frightening, to say the least!
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