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turtle18
Guest
If you only had the time for one, which would be better–doing the corporal work of mercy or going to daily Mass?
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YinYangMom
Guest
Daily Mass, hands down.
It is through receiving Him in the Eucharist that I gain the grace/will/motivation to make/find time to do a Corporal Work of Mercy at some point during the day.
For me it’s kinda the chicken or the egg…Mass comes first…from which all else flows.
It is through receiving Him in the Eucharist that I gain the grace/will/motivation to make/find time to do a Corporal Work of Mercy at some point during the day.
For me it’s kinda the chicken or the egg…Mass comes first…from which all else flows.
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TMC
Guest
Mercy. You are required to attend Mass weekly and on Holy Days. More is better, but not required. The corporal acts of mercy bring you in touch with Christ in a completely different way, but serving those He served.
Think of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Do you doubt that rich man want to temple frequently? What was Christ’s opinion of him?
Read Chapter 58 of Isaiah, its short and directly addresses this point.
Isaiah 58.
Isaiah criticizes those that observe the Jewish religious requirements, in that case fasting, to seek their own salvation, but do not serve others. He says:
Think of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Do you doubt that rich man want to temple frequently? What was Christ’s opinion of him?
Read Chapter 58 of Isaiah, its short and directly addresses this point.
Isaiah 58.
Isaiah criticizes those that observe the Jewish religious requirements, in that case fasting, to seek their own salvation, but do not serve others. He says:
I believe that this is what our Lord asks of us. We need the Mass to guide us, strengthen us, and renew us. But that strength and renewal is to put to use. If we love Him, we will feed His sheep.
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TMC
Guest
After reading my own post, I’m afraid it comes off as judgmental and argumentative. I apologize for that.
Both choices are laudable. My only point is that if I could do only one, I would pick works of mercy. My opinion, for the reason I gave. Don’t mean to suggest other opinions aren’t equally valid.
Both choices are laudable. My only point is that if I could do only one, I would pick works of mercy. My opinion, for the reason I gave. Don’t mean to suggest other opinions aren’t equally valid.
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turtle18
Guest
No, your post doesn’t sound judgemental. But I thought of the story with Martha & Mary Magdela. Martha was trying to serve Jesus and Mary was listening at his feet and he said that Mary had chosen the better of the two?
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Marina14
Guest
By going to Mass, God will open up to you the time needed to perform works of mercy.
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Andruschak
Guest
But I do have time only for one. Daily Mass, or daily AA meetings. AA is my corporal work of mercy…ransoming those captive to alcohol and drugs. Going to AA keeps me sober. Without sobriety, I would be of no use to Jesus, no matter how many masses I would go to.
I do a Spiritual Communion every day.
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Marina14
Guest
I have two friends who had serious problems with alcohol and drugs.But I do have time only for one. Daily Mass, or daily AA meetings. AA is my corporal work of mercy…ransoming those captive to alcohol and drugs. Going to AA keeps me sober. Without sobriety, I would be of no use to Jesus, no matter how many masses I would go to.
I do a Spiritual Communion every day.
13 years ago, both went to the same rehab program and graduated/completed it.
After completion of the program:
Linda went to daily AA/NA meetings (& Mass on occasions, such as Sunday).
Joella went to daily Mass.
Linda has replaced 3 times - just getting sober again last week for the first time in a year and a half of living in the streets because of her addition.
Joella, who chose Mass, has been sober without turning back even once to drugs and even gave up smoking cigarettes back in 2001, without going back to smoking at all.
Both are wonderful women and my friends. One chose Mass, the other chose AA/NA.
Based on my experience with them, Mass was the better choice. There is an extraordinary power in the Eucharist which heals both body and soul and completely deminishes the desire for sin. The power of the Mass and Eucharist cannot be found anywhere outside of the Church.
Last night I went with Linda to a Pro-Life Mass, her first Mass in a very, very long time. Afterwards, her Confession was heard by a priest who is an alcoholic and completely understands addiction from personal experience. For now she is back home. Hopefully this time, she will make the right choices which will keep her sober.
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puzzleannie
Guest
there is no either/or
go to Mass when you can
do works of charity when you can
if you are on your way to Mass and an opportunity for charity appears, do the act of charity, then go to church
go to Mass when you can
do works of charity when you can
if you are on your way to Mass and an opportunity for charity appears, do the act of charity, then go to church
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turtle18
Guest
It wasn’t an either/or thing. I agree you should do both but today I was asked to do a corporal work of mercy and I declined because it interfered with mass schedule (last mass of the day I attended.)
Incidentally, to respond to OP comments, I’ve had a problem with alcohol in the past and the only thing that has helped me is daily Mass and the grace of God.
Incidentally, to respond to OP comments, I’ve had a problem with alcohol in the past and the only thing that has helped me is daily Mass and the grace of God.
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Andruschak
Guest
Statistical samples of one tend to be very unreliable statistical samples. I know an atheist who was 22 years sober in AA without ever going to church. Me. I also know many alcoholic Catholic Priests who would agree on the importance of AA meetings.
Statistical samples of one could be found for those who ignored AA and stuck to religion. And went back out drinking
In the end, I prefer to go to daily AA and weekly mass, plus my 1221 lifestytle. Plus my 3 cats who remind me that I am not the center of the Universe, they are
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Genesis315
Guest
It’s difficult to say–it depends on your talents and things of that nature. It’s kind of like the difference between an active and a contemplative religious. Both are good, but they are just different callings.
So basically, I don’t think this question has a universal answer–do as the Spirit moves you
So basically, I don’t think this question has a universal answer–do as the Spirit moves you
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Marina14
Guest
Well, I do hope it works for you. Very sincerely.In the end, I prefer to go to daily AA and weekly mass, plus my 1221 lifestytle. Plus my 3 cats who remind me that I am not the center of the Universe, they are
My friend Linda who just resurfaced, went back onto the streets to her drug life the very next day after making the decision to go to a AA/NA Meeting instead of going to Mass. I dropped her off for the meeting and she went to it, but after it didn’t go home (staying with her son & daughter-in-law) after it as she’d planned - she went off with the other drug users she met at the meeting and disappeared - again.
No where can one find the supernatural graces and power more abundantly outside of the Mass this side of Heaven.
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Joysong
Guest
If the choice is open to equal option on any given morning, remember that the Holy Mass provides sanctifying grace through reception of holy communion, and the unequivocable opportunity to obtain precious graces for the ones we keep in our mass intention. Not a single prayer holds excellence over the mass.
Alternatively, the corporal works of mercy obtain merit for us when we perform them, and blessings for those to whom we minister, but these are not able to bring ‘sanctifying’ grace to the performance of these, whether they are spiritual or corporal works of mercy.
Nevertheless, there are those times when God may call us to perform those that are of pressing obligation. It would not be wise to ignore these and be off to prayer, if the corporal work is a primary duty incumbent upon us.
Alternatively, the corporal works of mercy obtain merit for us when we perform them, and blessings for those to whom we minister, but these are not able to bring ‘sanctifying’ grace to the performance of these, whether they are spiritual or corporal works of mercy.
Nevertheless, there are those times when God may call us to perform those that are of pressing obligation. It would not be wise to ignore these and be off to prayer, if the corporal work is a primary duty incumbent upon us.
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blessedstar
Guest
A year ago I got out of my taxi outside of Church to go to Sunday Mass only to find a man injured in the street. The taxi driver and myself helped the man and called an ambulance. The man was bleeding severely and the taxi driver and I took turns to stem the bleeding and keep him in good spirits.
As we were with the man lots of people passed by who were on their way to Mass too. Some offered help, some walked on, but one stopped and said to me ‘Come on Mass is about to start, you’ll be late’ I couldn’t believe what I heard. I looked at the woman and said ‘This man’s need is more important than me being on time for the Mass’. The ambulance came shortly after, the taxi driver and I went to wash the blood from ourselves in the Parish toilets and I was 5 minutes late for Mass, I came in just at the end of the entrance hymn.
Go to Mass when you can, do works of mercy as they come to you or as you can. Whenever possible, do both!
In the Living Prayer of my life
As we were with the man lots of people passed by who were on their way to Mass too. Some offered help, some walked on, but one stopped and said to me ‘Come on Mass is about to start, you’ll be late’ I couldn’t believe what I heard. I looked at the woman and said ‘This man’s need is more important than me being on time for the Mass’. The ambulance came shortly after, the taxi driver and I went to wash the blood from ourselves in the Parish toilets and I was 5 minutes late for Mass, I came in just at the end of the entrance hymn.
Go to Mass when you can, do works of mercy as they come to you or as you can. Whenever possible, do both!
In the Living Prayer of my life
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Andruschak
Guest
Well, my sobriety date is 17 March, 1984. Yes, St. Patrick’s Day:shamrock2:
But I am NOT Irish:irish3: (Not that there is anything wrong with that
)
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DebChris
Guest
Direct application of the Good Samaritan story. “It is not the one who cries ‘Lord, Lord’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of the Father.”A year ago I got out of my taxi outside of Church to go to Sunday Mass only to find a man injured in the street. The taxi driver and myself helped the man and called an ambulance. The man was bleeding severely and the taxi driver and I took turns to stem the bleeding and keep him in good spirits.
As we were with the man lots of people passed by who were on their way to Mass too. Some offered help, some walked on, but one stopped and said to me ‘Come on Mass is about to start, you’ll be late’ I couldn’t believe what I heard. I looked at the woman and said ‘This man’s need is more important than me being on time for the Mass’. The ambulance came shortly after, the taxi driver and I went to wash the blood from ourselves in the Parish toilets and I was 5 minutes late for Mass, I came in just at the end of the entrance hymn.
Go to Mass when you can, do works of mercy as they come to you or as you can. Whenever possible, do both!
In the Living Prayer of my life
When this was the gospel reading earlier this year, there was an emergency immediately following. An usher called the ambulance. The woman received communion. After the last communicant also received, Father was able to anoint her.
I shared on a different thread the story I once read about prayer. A monk had waited for years for a vision. The vision came as the bell to feed the poor rang. In obedience to his obligation for the week, he fed the poor. When he returned to prayer, he prostrated himself before the vision who said, “If you had not gone, I would not have stayed.”
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