Simply put ... to worship God!
Simply put ... to worship God!
I am not a catholic so I do not attend mass. But I do attend services in my church and I go to Bible study for the reason that was best stated in Proverbs 27:17:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person man sharpens another.”
We become better Christians by holding ourselves accountable one to another and we become better Christians by gaining wisdom one from another. For myself this best happens in church or at Bible study and for catholics it happens for them at mass.
I am not a catholic so I do not attend mass. But I do attend services in my church and I go to Bible study for the reason that was best stated in Proverbs 27:17:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
We become better Christians by holding ourselves accountable one to another and we become better Christians by gaining wisdom one from another. For myself this best happens in church or at Bible study and for catholics it happens for them at mass.
Last time I went to mass, admittedly a long time ago, it was a three ring circus with everyone talking and children moving around like screaming banchees. I could not even hear the usual tired montone of the scripture reader and Priest. Fortunately, I could read what they were trying to impart.
Pray? Nope. I did some chanting as it was all I could conjure: “Father, forgive us.” I must has “prayed” that a thousand times before I finally exited stage right.
Because they made me go to mass. No smart 4th grader is going to mess with a Nun with a serious 5 O’clock shadow. Not when they will pick you up by the ankles and shake you upside down. Didn’t hurt but wasn’t necessary.
The Eucharist!! ....duh
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass lets me bask in God’s wondrous presence.
But I like his idea of transformation. I can identify with that.
I go to Mass (almost daily) because I love the Mass. It is that simple. I cannot understand any Catholic not loving the Mass. Anyone who has to push themselves to Mass out of obligation needs to reevaluate their faith to find out what is missing. It should take wild horses to keep you from the Mass, not drag you to it.
Two of my nephews and at least one very good friend were victims of priestly pedophilia. I've seen first hand three young lives horribly disfigured.
I've seen generations worth of sweat-earned contributions going to pay for the damages.
Two of my parish priests are now doing long prison sentences for molesting altar boys. One of my parish priests now runs a church in another state for the LGBT community.
After all of that growing up, I for one cannot look at a Roman collar without feeling the overpowering desire to vomit.
That's why I don't go to mass, my good Archbishop of New York. I'm actually doing you a favor, lest I do a "Mr. Creosote" on your parishioners.
I go to mass because I believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt.
“I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a nice bottle if port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” - C. S. Lewis
IOW ... I go to Mass to worship, not to “get something out if it.”
You could take the Monsignor’s paragraph about why he goes to Mass and change the “he’s” to “I’s”. Mass has changed me made be a better person, wife, mother. I go to daily Mass as often as possible. As the world descends into darkness in so many ways sometimes Mass and the Eucharist are the only things keeping me going. God’s grace through the sacraments, especially Confession.
Sure, there are many great reasons to go to Mass. I go to Mass as often as possible to get a dose of the Holy Spirit. In this day, and these times, I need as much of G-d's Holy Spirit as I can get.
5.56mm
I go to Catholic Church to love GOD and to receive HIM Body and Blood so that I can feel HIS LOVE.
We should feel privileged to be in the direct presence of GOD and to receive HIM in the Eucharist.
We are all sinners and God’s mercy is so great that he just wants our love and the commitment that comes with love.
Can you imagine the rejection that God must feel when we reject His love?
I pray that all people will learn to love GOD and go to Mass, and then we may have real peace on earth.
John: 6:54-55 he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up on the last day.
I go to mass for the eucharist.
Primarily out of a sense of obligation to God. I owe God everything, so I must worship Him. The Mass is the highest form of worship; not because of anything I do, but because Jesus offers Himself to the Father. I get to take part in that and offer myself also.
Aso to receive Jesus Himself in the Eucharist. What else can you say? Wow!
While the readings and the homily and the singing can be bonus material, they, like the lack of distractions, are immaterial to what is going on— that supreme sacrifice of Jesus, being made present once again.
“once” is used several times in Hebrews. (Douay-Rheims translation)
Hebrews 7:27
Who needeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, in offering himself.
Hebrews 7:26-28 (in Context) Hebrews 7 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:7
But into the second, the high priest alone, once a year: not without blood, which he offereth for his own, and the people’s ignorance:
Hebrews 9:6-8 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:12
Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:11-13 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:26
For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world: but now once at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin, by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:25-27 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:26-28 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:28
So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time he shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.
Hebrews 9:27-28 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 10:2
For then they would have ceased to be offered: because the worshippers once cleansed should have no conscience of sin any longer:
Hebrews 10:1-3 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 10:10
In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.
Hebrews 10:9-11 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter)
The “sacrifice of the Mass” does NOT need to occur over and over again.
Only the LORD’S Supper need to be repeated on a regular basis.
P.S. I went to Mass every Sunday for many many years.
Jesus only died ONCE.