But why do YOU go to Mass? critical importance of rendering personal testimony in evangelization

Some decades ago the argument from authority was often invoked as we answered some question about the faith. It was often considered sufficient merely invoke the existence of a rule. And thus, to my nagging question, “Why should I have to go to mass?” my parents would often answer, “Because it’s a rule!” Other variations of the answer would be, “Because the Church says so,” or, “Because it’s in the Ten Commandments.”

Never mind that there might actually be reasons that there was a rule, or a commandment. It was considered enough in those old days simply to say, “It is a rule.”

If, to some degree, it was sufficient back in those days to merely invoke authority, it is now, for better or worse, no longer the case today that it is enough simply to do so. It is true that there is a rule that we must attend Mass. For as the Catechism says,

This practice of the Christian assembly dates from the beginnings of the apostolic age. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds the faithful “not to neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another.”…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. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin. (CCC 2178, 2181)

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…. the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. (Ex 20:18; Lev 23:3)

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

As so it is clear, there is a Rule that we attend Mass. But it also remains true that the reasons the Church, the Lord, and Law all say this. For indeed, something is true not nearly because the Church or the Lord, or the Bible say so. But rather, the Lord, the Bible and the Church say so because it is true.

And from this perspective, perhaps it is a good thing that merely arguing from authority, or arguing from the existence of rules and Commandments, is not enough. We live in times where the reasons, and the logic behind such rules is often insisted upon.

Perhaps it is not unreasonable for those to whom we speak to demand such proof. For, as Scripture puts it, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). And thus it is good that we be able to give reasons for the things we teach, and the practices we rightfully insist upon. As never before, we are required not simply to say what we teach, but why.

So alright, parents, you rightfully should teach your children that they must go to Mass on Sunday, and also to pray, prepare for and receive Sacraments, and to belong to a believing community we call Parish, to insist that they ought to read Scripture know the Faith. Yes, it is right that a parent to teach their children these things. So alright you say to your children you must go to Mass on Sunday.

Notice that this question, does not ask merely for reasons to go to Mass, but asks for YOUR reasons. Why do you go, what is your personal testimony? For, frankly, it is not enough for us to give merely catechetical or apologetical reasons. Our children, as never before, need to have very personal testimony from their parents about the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ. It’s time to testify, that is, to give her a personal testimony/ Yes, as never before, our children need to hear from us, parents, priests, catechists, parishioners.

So. why do you go to mass? Is there something you get out of it? How have you been blessed, and what are the fruits and effects having gone to Mass faithfully for many years? What effects have the Sacraments, prayer, liturgy in the Mass had on you?

Again, do not overlook personal quality that we must be invited to supply this testimony. Quoting the Saints and the teachings of the Church is indeed good and proper, but it is not enough. There comes a point in every Christian life when we who are mature in the faith need to testify: That what the Scriptures announce and the Church teaches is true. And I personally know it to be true because, in the laboratory of my own life, I have both tested and verified the truth of what is taught, and come to know personally that is true.

Let me, as a priest, announce my own testimony. I want to say that since I was 24 years of age, when I entered the seminary, I have gone to Mass every day. I have both studied, and heard proclaimed, God’s Word every day. I have gathered with God’s people in the celebration of the sacred liturgy every day, and every Sunday. I pray every day for an hour, I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and go to Confession once a week. I have lived in fellowship with other believers, gathering with them for prayer, and have experienced the both silent and vocal testimony of their faith and their experience that God is real, and God is good.

And I want to say, that as a result of all of this, I am a changed man. I have seen sins put to death, and new virtues come alive. I have a new mind, I think different thoughts, my priorities are different, and are better. I am more discerning, and my understanding of the meaning and purpose of my life is deeper. I have overcome terrible anxieties, and fears, and now I live in confidence, hope and joy. My life is not pain-free, or trouble-free, but I understand these troubles in a new way, seeing them as moments for growth, and grace. I am less negative, more positive and hopeful.

I could go on… But let me say this, I give God all the glory. It is his grace that transforms me. And I will say, He has done this primarily through the liturgy, through the holy Mass. He has accomplished this through the Sacraments, especially Holy Communion and Confession. These have been like medicine to me. And remaining faithful to God and to all of his sacraments, his Word and to the fellowship with the Church, I have been utterly transformed by Him and am being transformed more perfectly day by day.

I go to Mass, because through it, the Lord is changing me, is healing me, is transforming me. I have come to personally understand what the Lord means, that if we do not eat his Flesh and drink his Blood, we have no life in us. Without the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, my life would be so diminished, nothing compared to what it is now, in effect dead. It is only by the grace of God, his Word, his Sacraments, Prayer, and fellowship in the Church, that I have any life at all.

Of course we need to go to Mass on Sunday, of course! Without it I would be as dead as a diabetic without insulin, as starved man without food. I go to Mass, because through it the Lord saves me, feeds me, heals me. I have been privileged to walk with the same community of faith for the better part of 20 years. And in those years, in moments of crisis that arose, they have sung to me, prayed for me, witnessed to me, and shared Communion with me, summoning me to faith and reminding me the trouble don’t last always.

Where would I be without the Lord’s Church, without the Mass all the Sacraments, without the Word of God? At best, I would be nowhere, or it worst, is a very dark place.

Thus, I go to Mass receive the Sacraments, pray and keep fellowship, read and study God’s Word because it changes and transforms me. In no way do I see these as tedious rituals. No indeed, these are transformative realities, encounters with the living and healing Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory and thanksgiving.

Why do YOU go to Mass? What is your testimony. It is not enough today (if it ever was) to invoke rules. We have to say why, and we have to testify to it in a very personal way. Why do you go to Mass? Tell somebody!

I have seen sins put to death, and new virtues come alive. I have a new mind, I think different thoughts, my priorities are different, and are better. I am more discerning, and my understanding of the meaning and purpose of my life is deeper. I have overcome terrible anxieties, and fears, and now I live in confidence, hope and joy. My life is not pain-free, or trouble-free, but I understand these troubles in a new way, seeing them as moments for growth, and grace. I am less negative, more positive and hopeful.

Quote from the author.

This is pretty much the reason I go too, and I'd submit, for anyone to go.

Mass, along with other good works of the Church, are viewed by some as "requirements" without a reason, a good reason (like the one above), as if they are a checklist of some sort to get into heaven. Even some Catholics sadly believe this. But even this "checklist" rationale is not a good enough reason to go, after all there's always Confession if one misses a checkmark now and then.

There must be a reason *now* that benefits *us* now, or else even the most die hard rules follower will stumble now and then, and for no reason other than they are a flawed human. So this (the quote above) is the claim all must consider, and all must *expect* with true adherence to the Sunday obligation.

That is, it's quite simple, the Christian claim: Jesus is alive, today, and He wants to help you live a truly human life, now, in every way possible, sparing nothing, denying nothing. The only church to not only offer me this but actually give me this is the Catholic Church, in my experience. As I've said before, I don't know how other "churches" can fulfill such a promise, since the presence of Christ in other churches is at best, a broken presence, only recently "rediscovered" at some point in history where a direct break from the Church was observed, if not an indirect (break from a denomination that broke away from the Church).

But, who am I to argue with another's experience? I can't. If someone reading this who is not a Catholic can honestly say their life has been just as transformed as the authors' and/or mine, and credits this transformation not to their own effort but can honestly say the transformation can only have come from God, then more power to them. I would respectfully submit however, this is not the case, as it's all too easy to convince oneself of anything spiritual; only through careful, rational, reasoned examination of oneself and one's circumstances, can one know for certain a change was due to Christ, and not due to a self-imposed fantasy. And I don't say that to be a wet blanket on anyone's "faith"; merely as a word of both caution and celebration.

Caution, borne of a concern for my fellow man, so that he may not waste his time on this earth chasing after fantasies and empty promises. Celebration, borne of a knowledge that no matter how much time may be wasted, there's always an opportunity to "return home", and come to know the fruits of the "100 fold blessing" right now, here on earth, as the author and I both testify.

Don't believe me? "Come and see" (cf John 1). This is often overlooked I fear in debates about Catholicism. The simplest claim about Christianity is paradoxically the most powerful. And indeed, because we are human beings, it's the only thing that is going to really convince anyone: one's OWN, personal experience. Not an experience shadowed by sarcasm, devoid of reason, or perhaps worst of all, tainted by the evil acts of a few in the Church, but an objectively true experience, in every sense of the word "objective". (and yes, even personal experiences can be "objective").

Jesus, being the great Teacher He is, knew this, knew humanity's need for personal experience so completely and without hesitation, that every act he took interacting with humanity was meant to show who He was (and is) through their personal experience 2,000 years ago (and ours today). Consider this for a moment: He, being God, could have just flipped a switch of some sort and declared, "Everyone is saved, goodbye I'm going back to Heaven now". And that would be it. But He didn't.

Ask yourself "why", and then re-read John 1 again, also asking, "Does this phrase, 'come and see' mean something more? Does it only mean what it plainly reads, a simple request from Jesus to a few Apostles 2,000 years ago, or does it also have a deeper meaning about my relationship with Jesus today?"

When Catholics go to Church they are indeed, in the presence of the Body and Blood of Christ himself. Yes, a quiet time at home is wonderful, but there is nothing like falling on your knees during Mass, and saying, “My Lord and my God” three times at the Consecration of both the bread and the wine.

Non-Catholics miss out on this real presence of the Lord through the miracle of transubstantiation.

Definition:
Trans — transfer
Substantiation — substance

The substance of bread changes to the Body of Christ.
The substance of wine is chaned to the Blood of Christ.

Some doubt this miracle, but numerous Eucharistic miracles have proven it to be absolutely true.

Look up the word “Lanciano.”

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