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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Why attend Mass/church?	Gary	Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Question: Recently I got into a discussion about Church/faith issues with a co-worker--a young lady in her early 20's who is basically Catholic in name only. She is not a regular churchgoer, and neither are her parents. I was encouraging her to attend Mass and confession and she said something along the lines of her dad's philosophy--that he regularly reads the Bible and follows God's word in his heart and that church isn't necessarily a requirement for any kind of redemptive purpose. It was frustrating because I seem to hear that line often--"I'm a good person, I try to do the right things, therefore I don't need church." What is a good, persuasive answer I can give to people like this without getting into some kind of deep theological or canonical discussion? Obviously if I say to them--"the Church requires Mass attendance or it is a mortal sin", they are going to accuse me of being judgmental, etc. I typically try to attack it from the angle of participation in a community of believers helps keep your faith strong, etc. Of course that leads to the easy rebuttal of "My faith is already strong." How do you attack this issue--there are so many people who call themselves Catholics (or Christians) in name only and rarely, if ever, attend Mass (or church).
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Gary: I hate to break the bubble for your friend and her father, but her father DOES NOT follow God's word if he is not going to Church and he is DEAD wrong about Church not being required for redemptive purposes. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:23-25: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. How can we encourage one another and build up each other if we do not meet in Church to commune and fellowship together? The Jews meet in Synagogue weekly, the early Christians met in Church weekly or even daily. There has never been a time that the practice of Christians was to stay home and not go to Church. Since this is the Biblical teaching, the Church teaching (I might add the teaching of all denominations), and is the actual practice proved by history, it is up to this girl and her father to show one shred of evidence to prove that going to Church is unnecessary. If they cannot prove that, then they better get their behinds to Church. In addition, redemption can only be found in the Church. It cannot be had by oneself. It is through the Church that we are baptized. Without baptism we do not have redemption. It is through the Church that we the Eucharist. The Bible gives us the words of Jesus in John 6:53-56: Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." The Catechism states (1436): Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins." It is not possible to receive this Body and Blood (Eucharist) unless one goes to Church. As far as one saying their faith is strong without Church, I beg to differ. Their faith is weak. They do not have faith in the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles who tell us we are a family and are to get together as a family to worship Him and to help each other in our faith and in our lives. Jesus says in John 14:15, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Therefore, if we do not follow His teachings, of which Church is one of His teachings, then WE DO NOT LOVE HIM no matter how much we say we do. Jesus also says in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." The will of the Father is for us to receive the Eucharist, to worship together as a family of Christians, to assist each other in our faith journey. That cannot be done without Church. Church is not a man-made institution. It was invented by God and established by God. The Church is mentioned in the New Testament more than 77 times. Jesus himself says that he will build HIS church: Matt 16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. How dare anyone ignore the Church that Jesus has built. We are invited to the Lord's house for the Feast of our Lord. How profoundly rude, arrogant, and prideful is it to snub one's nose at this invitation and refuse to come? Our Lord is calling us, how can we refuse Him? There is usually some other reason why people choose not to come to Church. I would ask this friend what that reason is. It is not because Church is not necessary as they claim. Frankly, even if Church was not necessary, why avoid it? why not come anyway? There is some other reason, such as the person does not want to be reminded of their sinful life, they do not want to make a commitment to God because it would require changing their lives. Whatever. But the reason is NOT because Church is unnecessary. One thing is for sure. Such people cannot honestly say they read and follow the Bible and Jesus and claim they do not need Church. That is delusion. All you can do is point out the facts as I have done here, but do not argue with them. Our job is not to convince, but merely to deliver the message. Let the Holy Spirit do the convincing. If they want to wallow in their delusional excuses, that is their choice. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Why attend Mass/church?

Gary

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Question:

Recently I got into a discussion about Church/faith issues with a co-worker--a young lady in her early 20's who is basically Catholic in name only. She is not a regular churchgoer, and neither are her parents.

I was encouraging her to attend Mass and confession and she said something along the lines of her dad's philosophy--that he regularly reads the Bible and follows God's word in his heart and that church isn't necessarily a requirement for any kind of redemptive purpose.

It was frustrating because I seem to hear that line often--"I'm a good person, I try to do the right things, therefore I don't need church."

What is a good, persuasive answer I can give to people like this without getting into some kind of deep theological or canonical discussion? Obviously if I say to them--"the Church requires Mass attendance or it is a mortal sin", they are going to accuse me of being judgmental, etc. I typically try to attack it from the angle of participation in a community of believers helps keep your faith strong, etc. Of course that leads to the easy rebuttal of "My faith is already strong."

How do you attack this issue--there are so many people who call themselves Catholics (or Christians) in name only and rarely, if ever, attend Mass (or church).

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Gary:

I hate to break the bubble for your friend and her father, but her father DOES NOT follow God's word if he is not going to Church and he is DEAD wrong about Church not being required for redemptive purposes.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:23-25:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

How can we encourage one another and build up each other if we do not meet in Church to commune and fellowship together?

The Jews meet in Synagogue weekly, the early Christians met in Church weekly or even daily. There has never been a time that the practice of Christians was to stay home and not go to Church.

Since this is the Biblical teaching, the Church teaching (I might add the teaching of all denominations), and is the actual practice proved by history, it is up to this girl and her father to show one shred of evidence to prove that going to Church is unnecessary. If they cannot prove that, then they better get their behinds to Church.

In addition, redemption can only be found in the Church. It cannot be had by oneself. It is through the Church that we are baptized. Without baptism we do not have redemption.

It is through the Church that we the Eucharist. The Bible gives us the words of Jesus in John 6:53-56:

Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

"For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.

"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him."

The Catechism states (1436):

Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins."

It is not possible to receive this Body and Blood (Eucharist) unless one goes to Church.

As far as one saying their faith is strong without Church, I beg to differ. Their faith is weak. They do not have faith in the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles who tell us we are a family and are to get together as a family to worship Him and to help each other in our faith and in our lives.

Jesus says in John 14:15, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

Therefore, if we do not follow His teachings, of which Church is one of His teachings, then WE DO NOT LOVE HIM no matter how much we say we do.

Jesus also says in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven."

The will of the Father is for us to receive the Eucharist, to worship together as a family of Christians, to assist each other in our faith journey. That cannot be done without Church.

Church is not a man-made institution. It was invented by God and established by God. The Church is mentioned in the New Testament more than 77 times. Jesus himself says that he will build HIS church:

Matt 16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

How dare anyone ignore the Church that Jesus has built.

We are invited to the Lord's house for the Feast of our Lord. How profoundly rude, arrogant, and prideful is it to snub one's nose at this invitation and refuse to come?

Our Lord is calling us, how can we refuse Him?

There is usually some other reason why people choose not to come to Church. I would ask this friend what that reason is. It is not because Church is not necessary as they claim. Frankly, even if Church was not necessary, why avoid it? why not come anyway?

There is some other reason, such as the person does not want to be reminded of their sinful life, they do not want to make a commitment to God because it would require changing their lives. Whatever. But the reason is NOT because Church is unnecessary.

One thing is for sure. Such people cannot honestly say they read and follow the Bible and Jesus and claim they do not need Church. That is delusion.

All you can do is point out the facts as I have done here, but do not argue with them. Our job is not to convince, but merely to deliver the message. Let the Holy Spirit do the convincing.

If they want to wallow in their delusional excuses, that is their choice.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum