Discussing the importance of going to church

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dee_burk

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So, my cousin and i talk a lot about prayer and spirituality. I talk to her a lot about how much my life has changed since starting back to church and being confirmed this year.
We talk about religions, she isnt opposed to the Catholic Church at all, and we discuss why Catholics believe and do the things they do. But there is one problem i have with discussions with her that i cant get her to understand. I need some help trying to convince her that actually going to a church to praise and worship God is better than her idea that she does praise and worship God but she doesnt have to go to church she can do it in her home and its whats in you heart.

What can i say to her that will make her rethink the position that many have…that you can praise God at home, in your heart and that a church building doesnt matter?
 
While you certainly can, and should, praise and worship God privately coming together in a Church community to share a common form of praise and worship for God provides blessings and graces you just can’t get going it alone:

You come together as a community
You give and receive witness to the Good News
Your own faith is strengthened by seeing the faith of others
Your public profession of faith inspires others who may have doubts or questions
You find out about opportunities to give further witness through the church community, and to help others
You get to hear and respond to the Word of God - and hear what some other people think about it (maybe even have gasp a discussion with a real live person in person!)
You get to see & participate in a beautiful liturgy (at least in the Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church you get to participate in and partake of Communion.

It is impossible to be Christian, and especially a Catholic Christian, alone. “Where ever 2 or 3 are gathered in My name…”

FWIW, the church building doesn’t matter. The church building is just so much construction materials. It is the people who matter. “We are the body of Christ.”
 
great answer. In addition I would drill it down to something she can relate to:

That’s like a man saying he doesn’t have to remember an anniversary or a birthday, because surely his wife just knows he loves her. He never needs to say it, or surprise her with a card or a lovely gesture. She should just KNOW. Children shouldn’t be expected to actually thank their parents for gifts, privileges, sacrifices. They as parents should just KNOW.
If we profess that Jesus was truly God and Man, then He would have feelings, no?
He would love us to love Him back.
It would take arrogance on our part to just say “ok, give me salvation with your very LIFE, and I’ll just think about you now and then.” On my own schedule, when I feel like it. And Lord, you should be fine with that. 😊
It’s a sad thing, and for no good reason. Christ asks so little of us. One hour. Once a week. And we have the temerity to say , “nah…later”.
In addition, we all know where ourselves can lead us if we let it go that route…to odd concepts, weird theologies that have no basis, and funky interpretations of Scripture.
It’s reassuring to have the guidance of 2000 years of scholarship.
God bless you and may the Holy Spirit guide you in your discussion!
Peace,
Clare
 
dee_burk said:
So, my cousin and i talk a lot about prayer and spirituality. I talk to her a lot about how much my life has changed since starting back to church and being confirmed this year.
We talk about religions, she isnt opposed to the Catholic Church at all, and we discuss why Catholics believe and do the things they do. But there is one problem i have with discussions with her that i cant get her to understand. I need some help trying to convince her that actually going to a church to praise and worship God is better than her idea that she does praise and worship God but she doesnt have to go to church she can do it in her home and its whats in you heart.

What can i say to her that will make her rethink the position that many have…that you can praise God at home, in your heart and that a church building doesnt matter?
Click to expand...
If she is not Catholic, then you can explain why you as a Catholic go to Mass. When our Lord Jesus Christ said “Take and eat…This is My Body”…and likewise for the Precious Blood…we do that in a Church within the Mass!

And, yes of course, the community aspect of all coming together as the Body of Christ is awesome. We encourage one another, greet one another, and get to know the fellow believers at all the other activities in our parish.
 
Okay, so God is in your house…but, He loves you, and would really like to see you drop by His place once and awhile!
 
You guys have come up with some great ideas for me to (name removed by moderator)ut to her.

i have discussed the fact that its the community coming together. I explained that in the Catholic Church we are obligated to go to Mass weekly and on holy days of obligation and that its a sin not to, which usually elicits a "REALLY? and a bunch of what if scenarios.

She really has a hard time being a divorced single mom, son is 14 and dyslexic and they use it as an excuse for him to not have to do anything to help around the house, house is falling apart, child support is erratic at best, car is broken down so she has to rely on others to get to work or the store. She constantly asks me to pray for her (which i do) but i just sometimes want to shake her and tell her if she would dedicate more time to God in his house instead of making excuses things may work out better for her. I tell her that maybe he is trying to get her attention…
 
dee_burk said:
You guys have come up with some great ideas for me to (name removed by moderator)ut to her.

i have discussed the fact that its the community coming together. I explained that in the Catholic Church we are obligated to go to Mass weekly and on holy days of obligation and that its a sin not to, which usually elicits a "REALLY? and a bunch of what if scenarios.

She really has a hard time being a divorced single mom, son is 14 and dyslexic and they use it as an excuse for him to not have to do anything to help around the house, house is falling apart, child support is erratic at best, car is broken down so she has to rely on others to get to work or the store. She constantly asks me to pray for her (which i do) but i just sometimes want to shake her and tell her if she would dedicate more time to God in his house instead of making excuses things may work out better for her. I tell her that maybe he is trying to get her attention…
Click to expand...
You might also indicate that is she was member somewhere, she would have a support system in place. I know many people here have children with varying levels of disabilities, and are always willing to share tips, advice, prayers, and general support.
She can pray a lot, but sometimes you have to help God out…there’s a saying
“draw near to God, and He will surely draw near to you.”
God’s not a vending machine, but hey, it can’t hurt to respect the Lord, eh?
Laos, there’s a peaceful feeling and escape of sorts when we’re in the presence of Jesus.
That alone, helps me get through the week.
People stop at the fact that God is love. They do not feel like they need any participation in HIS life. Ask her if she would like to participate in the life of Jesus.
 
The Greek word for church is ekklesia, as in ecclesiastical. It means:

a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly

an assembly of the people convened at the public place

the assembly of the Israelites

any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously
in a Christian sense

an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting

the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth

the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven

To be Christian is to be part of, and participate in, a community of faith.
 
dee_burk said:
I need some help trying to convince her that actually going to a church to praise and worship God is better than her idea that she does praise and worship God but she doesnt have to go to church she can do it in her home and its whats in you heart.
Click to expand...
Have you considered what Jesus teaches us about prayer? Perhaps your cousin has a point.

biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6:5-15

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
 
without said:
Have you considered what Jesus teaches us about prayer? Perhaps your cousin has a point.

biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6:5-15

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Click to expand...
Our Lord Jesus Christ was correct, of course, in giving that directive, to not be hypocrites, but to pray sincerely from the heart.

He also said to “take and eat, for this is my body” - the apostles had also heard the teaching in John 6 about what that truly is. We do that as a community, in the church.

Peace to you,

Dorothy
 
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