Our Return to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

 

With the news of Bishop Callahan’s ending the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on weekends and Holy Days of Obligation, I am hopeful we will see more of our brothers & sisters returning to participate once again in the sacred mysteries.

As I saw the headline in the La Crosse Tribune reporting on this it struck me as a very sad commentary on the way most folks, and not just those outside the Church, look at this mandate / obligation: “Diocese of La Crosse Again Requiring Parish to Attend Sunday Mass”. (sic)  Poor grammar aside, at least they also quoted Bishop Callahan’s letter where he says: “The Mass is our intimate encounter with Jesus.  It is with open arms and a grateful heart that we welcome all to respond to the invitation of Jesus to come to him.”

As one would expect, our bishop recognizes, and therefore expresses this obligation in a positive manner.  When we recognize Whom it is that waits to welcome us we WANT to be where He is, and we welcome the invitation to be in His presence.

So, why is it an “obligation” if it should be something we would want to do?  Unfortunately, we don’t always recognize the "good" as the better choice over the “not as good”; in large part because we haven’t matured enough in faith, that is – in love, so as to recognize the good and choose it.  In this, we misuse the gift of free will we have been given, which is the ability to freely choose the good.

It saddens me to know there are those who have been doing everything else but assisting at Sunday Mass simply because "the bishop said they didn't have to".  I also recognize there are those who have, sadly, gotten used to watching Mass on tv or the internet, not appreciating the sacramental realism that makes our presence, in person, so very important.  Finally, there are those who have just gotten used to not observing Sunday as the Lord's Day, who are in particular need of our prayers.

Of course, if we spend more time with God, especially in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and also in our daily devotions (especially Sacred Heart & Divine Mercy), our love for Him will grow such that we will want to be with Him: we will use our gift of free will to freely choose Him above all things; and then we will know heaven – the new Jerusalem, already here on earth.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Trial, or distress, or persecutions, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?  Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us.”  (Romans 8:35, 37)