Daily mass during Lent

[rotlex]

This is just a general question to anyone who attends, or has attended, daily mass at their parish.

I decided to start attending for Lent on top of my attempting to give up a few addictions, and practices I can definitely do without! It’s only been a few days, attending daily mass that is, and I am thoroghly enjoying it! I had intitially started out thinking I would only attend Wednesday and Friday mass, but I’m starting to want to go every day.

Now here’s the question. I planned on initially attending through the full season of Lent. I’m already thinking this is something I might like to do on a much more regular basis. I know we are not obligated to attend mass every day, but, what happens say, when life starts getting in the way, summer arrives, work, vacations etc., and I can only maybe make 1-2 times per week, plus Sunday of course? I know nothing “bad” is going to happen, as it is not an obligation, but, my personality at times will start making me think I’m doing wrong by NOT attending.

Am I making any sense here? I guess I’m not really sure what kind of answer\suggestions I’m looking for, but more or less how someone who attends mass on a daily basis, deals with the days they cannot attend. Also, anything wrong with attending say daily mass only 1-2 days a week, or when you can attend, time allowing etc?

Thanks, and I just wanted to end in saying that I cannot believe how much joy I’m getting out of this. There is only a small group of parish members in the chapel each morning, but I’m finding it a fantastic way to start my day!

 

[SourGrape]

Your concern and feeling guilty for not attending daily Mass was shared by me one year ago! I’m a convert (Baptized Catholic, never raised in the Faith and when a teen, became an atheist) who received the Easter Sacraments in 2005. For nearly one year before I received those Sacraments and up until last year, I attended daily Mass. Then, I married and moved to an area where it became more difficult for me to attend each day. Then, we moved again, had a baby, and it’s become impossible for me to attend daily Mass since we have only one car and my husband needs it for work. Since Lent began, my husband and I both made a committment to attend Mass on Friday evenings, and we both feel so blessed to be able to do so and will probably make this a year long practice until, God willing, we have the ability and means to attend Mass even more often during the week.

God knows your story. He knows your heart. On the weekdays you cannot attend Mass, be sure to still make time for Him and pray! We do that in the mornings.

If you are blessed to go to Mass each day, beware of receiving Holy Communion to become “routine.” I was prone to that!

 

[SourGrape]

Oh yeah, our daily morning prayers include the Mass readings for that day. If you don’t have a daily Missal, I highly recommend investing in one! God bless!

 

[rotlex]

Thanks for those reply’s.

In regards to the days I don’t attend, or can’t, I still stick to my standard morning prayer session, which includes morning prayers, as well as scripture readings. I’ve been doing this for over a year now, and LOVE it.

I generally rise around 4am, only truly quiet time before the kids get up etc., say my morning prayers, read scripture, and generally say the rosary. Daily mass at my parish is at 6:30am, and only 5 minutes away, so the timing is perfect. (I generally spend an hour reading scripture\praying etc. when I get up, which then allows time for shower, getting dressed etc.)

Again, I have only been attending daily mass for a very short time, but I am really, really hoping I can keep it in my schedule for the duration of Lent, and hopefully beyond.

Thanks again for the kind words!