Daily Mass: Is it wrong that I don't always go when I can?

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westcoast

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I know daily mass is not obligatory, but should I feel guilty when I have the opportunity to go to daily mass, but would rather stay in and watch the news and drink coffee? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. That sounds pretty horrible just writing it, that I’d rather sit with a hot drink than receive Jesus.:confused:
 
I’m sitting at my desk going through the same internal debate right now. There is a 12:10 daily mass right near my office and I haven’t been in ages. It’s just so much easier to stay in the office, eat lunch and surf the net…

Having said that, I don’t think it’s a mortal sin, but I consider it a missed opportunity to be closer to God. That might lead me to be more neglectful of my spiritual duties otherwise. I’m hoping that attending daily mass again will help the rest of my day be more pleasing to God.
 
It is NOT a sin. Consider it an extra blessing if you are able to attend a mass during the week.

I think it probably gives God great joy when we set our creature comforts aside to worship Him. Though, we are really only required to attend and participate in Mass for the Sunday obligation ( not counting Holy Days of Obligation).
 
I understand your dilemmas.
My church has daily 8:45 mass. This is the same time I walk 3 miles with my mother. I am home from work 2 days during week. I need to exercise my body as much as anyone.
At the same time I hunger to have my heart and soul fed by the Eucharist.

Now that I think of it, I wonder if there is a noon mass nearby. 🙂
 
I wonder that myself. I hate it when I am too lazy to get up to go to daily Mass, or, worse, when I am glued to my COMPUTER and can’t tear myself away!!! :eek:
 
It really does seem silly because Mass is only THIRTY MINUTES ! that thirty minutes flies by when i am at home… can I not watch the news and have coffee after mass? Out of the ENTIRE day I can’t spare thirty minutes?
 
Well, I did go to the 12:10 and I was very glad that I did. Sometimes I think it’s just taking that first step and getting out the door.

It seems a shame for me to have that Mass so close to me and so convenient and go so seldom. While I was there I prayed that I would have the discipline to keep going.
 
I struggle with this myself. Although I never miss Sunday Mass unless I am ill, I COULD be going every single day and just don’t because it is early in the morning.
What is wrong with me??!! I feel terrible about this.😦
 
I guess it’s that daily struggle between what the body wants (lounge, sleep-in, relax) versus what the soul knows it should do. I read something lately that said the emotions should always be under control, under the discipline of the Spirit… so I guess that applies… what is guiding actions? The flesh, that sometimes wants to lounge and avoid hard work and necessary spiritual exercises? or the Spirit, that has the whole body, with all its passions, under control? sometimes for me, I just have to say, as Nike puts it, JUST DO IT!
 
Keep in mind that R&R is as important for your well being as eating and sleeping.

Yes, it would be great if you could fit daily Mass into your daily routine. However, it that would squeeze every bit of free time you have, then there’s no need to feel guilty because you chose free time for yourself.

I could go to Mass everyday, if i went to work an hour later and got home an hour later. I’d get home at 8PM instead of 7PM. Of course that would mean, burn out in about 2 weeks.

So, I do my morning prayer, but until my life changes to where I can have the time to go to daily Mass, I’ll just have to go without.

Jim
 
I am still trying to fit daily Mass on a daily basis into my schedule. It is only 30 minutes, but with drive time, I am gone for almost an hour. So every day I have an alarm for when I would have to leave, and every day I evaluate if I can.

I would like to think that if the alternative was coffee and the news that I would go every day, but I’m not sure I could guarentee that. Just keep pushing yourself to go. Mass is always a better choice than watching the news! LOL
 
I think the desire for daily Mass is something that God can plant into our hearts. Recently, I started asking God to help me love him more. Soon, I just started wanting to go to daily Mass. I didn’t even make the connection. I look forward so much to being there and my time with Him. Now I realize the desire to be at daily Mass was His answer to my prayer. 🙂
 
I think just going to Daily Mass once or twice during the week is a good thing. That way you don’t go all week without worshiping the Lord or receiving him in the Eucharist, but you also don’t deprive yourself of much needed R&R. My parish (the only one in town) has daily Mass at different times on different days throughout the week to make it more convenient for people to go at least once or twice.

Of course, if it is convenient for you to go every day, that is a wonderful thing, and the greatest single thing you can do to grow spiritually, but we shouldn’t beat ourselves up for not going to Mass seven days a week.
 
westcoast said:
I know daily mass is not obligatory, but should I feel guilty when I have the opportunity to go to daily mass, but would rather stay in and watch the news and drink coffee? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. That sounds pretty horrible just writing it, that I’d rather sit with a hot drink than receive Jesus.:confused:
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There are many who would love to be able to go to daily Mass but can’t. I don’t think it is a sin not to go when you have the opportunity, just as not praying before meals is not a sin. The Baltimore Catechism says that skipping prayer before meals is a mark of ingratitude- I think this can apply to not going to daily Mass when you have the opportunity.
 
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10
I suspect that if most of us are truly honest with ourselves, much of what we do and what we do not do is sin.

No, it’s not mortal sin, because it’s not grave matter, but our Lord Jesus is calling us to perfect union with Him.

Daily Mass is one of the greatest gifts and graces we have. This is not something we should take lightly because it’s not only bringing us closer to heaven, it’s also advancing the salvation of the world.

Trust me, this is not a message I want to embrace, but it’s the truth of our faith. Every choice we make may have some sort of eternal consequence. If you can’t make it to daily Mass, make sure you do a spiritual communion.

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Have mercy on me a wretched sinner dear Lord.

I speak these words in love my siblings.
 
I very much agree with the sentiment of the poster above me. If the situation at the time allows for you to go to daily mass, then you should.

That being said, I know how difficult it can be some days to actually get up and go. Today I decided that continuing my nap was more important than going to mass. When you truly consider my decision (napping versus Jesus), my priorities were disgustingly mistaken. May the Lord have mercy on me, and forgive me.
 
I struggle with this too: one doesn’t want to be scrupulous but after all, what better use of one’s time is there than Mass?

Here is a prayer card that I found at one parish: (This is rather “old school” I think–and do keep in mind that the amount of benefit one gets from Mass depends also on one’s disposition. I think right?)
When You Miss One Holy Communion
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It is well for you to consider what you lose every morning that you pass up Holy Communion:
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  1. You miss a personal visit with Jesus, Author of all spiritual energy and all holiness;
  2. You lose a special increase of sanctifying grace, which makes your soul more pleasing to God;
  3. You lose a quota of sacramental grace which entitles you to special help in times of temptation and in the discharge of your special duties;
  4. You miss the special preserving influence which every Holy Communion confers against the fires of passion;
  5. You miss the opportunity of having remitted a part, or all, of the temporal punishments due to your sins;
  6. You lose the spiritual joy, the sweetness and particular comfort that comes from a fervent Holy Communion;
  7. You lose a part of the glory that your body might enjoy at its resurrection on the Last Day;
  8. You lose the greater degree of glory you would possess in Heaven for all eternity;
  9. You may lose:
    a. complete victory over some fault or passion;
    b. some particular grace long prayed for;
    c. the conversion or salvation of some soul;
    d. deliverance of a relative or friend from Purgatory;
    e. many graces for others, both living and dead.
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Will a few extra minutes of sleep repay you for all these losses?
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What riches hundreds of thousands of Catholics deprive themselves daily by neglecting Mass. At the hour of death our greatest consolation will be the Masses we have heard and the Holy Communions we have received.
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[If anyone wondered, From Catholic Fraternity of Restoration, PO Box 807, Clovis, CA 93613–Stamped envelope 10 free copies, additional copies 2 c. each]
 
I would say that if it is something that is readily available, and you are conscious of the call to be there enough to be questioning your not following it, that you already know the answer.

We get called gently and softly–the still, small voice. We get the choice to listen or not, to follow or not. But in the end, if we choose to not listen, as one poster put it, it is a missed opportunity to spend time at what should be our number one priority. It’s certainly not sinful in the “obligation” way, but could be an act of omission if we feel called to do it and ignore the call wilfully.

“Coincidentally” today’s gospel reading had to do with the man who prepared the banquet only to have the invited guests beg off for what seemed to be very sound and logical reasons. Is it “sin” to do this? I guess to the extent that we may be putting some other “strange god” before Him there is certainly the consideration.

Please don’t get me wrong though. I’m sure I could rearrange my own schedule to do daily Mass, but I don’t do so. I think it is important to make sure we make time to spend quietly with God each day. He will call us to doing that in different ways and we have to discern how He is calling us. It might be Mass, or sitting on the window seat, or maybe a couple minutes of solitude while sitting “on the throne”. I think however we respond with a sincere heart God will bless and use it to bring us closer to Him.

My prayers are with you, as I hope your will be with me.
 
westcoast said:
I know daily mass is not obligatory, but should I feel guilty when I have the opportunity to go to daily mass, but would rather stay in and watch the news and drink coffee? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. That sounds pretty horrible just writing it, that I’d rather sit with a hot drink than receive Jesus.:confused:
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I do the same thing. My work schedule allows me to go and I wasn’t going for a while but now I’m going back and if I miss too many days during the week I feel guilty. Sometimes, I would rather drink my coffee and post in here :o

Sometimes things do get in the way though. I have three daughters so I can’t always be there. I try and make it at least three times a week, sometimes two days. ⭕)
 
🙂 You do what you can; no more, no less.

Some days, you need daily Mass. Some day, you need coffee. 🤷
 
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