Going to church on Sunday, keeping holy the Sabbath

[OhioBob]

Roz:

The teaching of the Church on Sunday Obligation has been a problem for me for many years. I am a cradle catholic and would not miss Mass simply because I did not feel like going. However, is it not time that the Church dropped the obligation to attend. If we really understand the Eucharist for what it is should the Church continue to ‘oblige’ us to attend? How can we truly want to go to Mass, if we have to go to Mass?

I sincerely cannot follow this reasoning. Do you really suppose that more people would attend Mass if the Church said it was no longer an obligation? That is like saying that people would contribute more money to the government if only they would eliminate taxation because then they would be doing it because they “really wanted to”, other than because they “had to”.

If people really have such a problem with the Church’s position that attending Mass on Sunday is an obligation and ignoring that obligation is a sin, I shudder to think of what they think about the Church’s position on other issues of faith and morals.

If someone’s desire and enthusiasm for Mass and the Eucharist is diminished because the Church says it is their “obligation”, the Church’s teachings on morality, abortion, contraception, etc. must really do a number on them.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

The main point (which I think a few might have missed) is that “the Church” and “God” are not two OPPOSING forces.

Some people seem to equate the Church’s “rules” as being inflicted on poor suffering souls “out of the blue”, whereas GOD (that kindly fellow) would be happy enough if we were just ENJOYING ourselves.

You know, if INDEED it is true that people in the early Church (and I would LOVE to see the documentation) did not go every Sunday to a Mass (and St. Ignatius, who actually KNEW the apostles, certainly seems to indicate that people actually DID go every Sunday), it doesn’t seem to have occurred to people that, considering Christians were a small and persecuted sect, that a great number of them might not have had the OPPORTUNITY to go every Sunday (and would surely think we lived in times of enormous privilege and opportunity ourselves). Another significant number, living in established areas and in a more secure place, might not ONLY have gone on Sundays, but also more frequently, even daily, and likewise been extremely thankful and greatful to do so.

With all due respect, Roz et al., the idea that having “compulsory” Sunday services “impedes” your “desire” smacks (to me) of a very stubborn, prideful, and yes “I’m the boss” mentality.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of human life, and we are given the great opportunity to avail ourselves of it, AT LEAST once per week. . .I could give you chapter and verse of WHY it is important for us to gather TOGETHER, why we celebrate on Sundays, why we should not be whining about “forced” but utterly humbled that God ALLOWS us (in a state of grace I trust) to receive Him at Mass. . .but it seems that for some, at least, “being forced” to do something, even something good, is just too much for their tender psyches to bear.

We don’t PICK AND CHOOSE teachings, do we? If the Church teaches that missing Mass on Sunday is a mortal sin, you have, my friend, two choices:

1. Obey the Church, even if it bugs you.

2, Disobey the Church, and face the consequences. Nobody really is FORCING you to go to church on Sunday, so why complain? You are perfectly free to choose to disobey and sin, equally free to obey and not sin.

It seems you want a THIRD choice. You want, in essence, to have the CHURCH change ITS teaching to suit you. You want, basically, to have your cake and eat it. You want to not “have” to go, so you want the church to make attendance “optional” so your actions are JUSTIFIED instead of condemned.

I’d say I wish you luck, but that would be flippant and untrue. I wish you WELL, but the WAY I wish you well is that I wish you would see the error of your ways, do what God has commanded you (which you know in your heart) and strive to live on earth the kind of life that will hopefully lead you to heaven.

Wishing the peace of God on you–because even if I disagree, and forcefully, with you I still love you and personally respect you.

 

[Sherlock]

Roz:

Thank you, Sherlock for your response.
How can you know, without a shred of doubt that if the church dropped the OBLIGATION to attend Mass on Sunday, less and less people would attend? .

Because it’s human nature to take the easy road and justify it. Simple observation provides me with certainty on this one.

Roz:

How do you know that, because Catholics are no longer observing Friday by not eating meat, they are not doing some other form of self denial? .

Simple: because many Catholics I know tell me they make no observance, and are surprised when I tell them that the Church still suggests that they make some form of observance. This includes my parents, who were completely observant when required to abstain from meat, but dropped doing anything when the requirement was dropped.

Roz:

I take you back to my original point - the contradiction between a God of love who gave us the Eucharist, and the Church, which latter then obliges us to attend that Sacrament of His Love, under pian of mortal sin.

That same God of love gave us the Ten Commandments. They’re COMMANDMENTS, not suggestions. And what part of Hebrews 10:25, "“we should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some”, is unclear to you? Do you think the Church is just making this obligation stuff up? Why are you pitting the Church against God?

 

[SDA2RC]

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Yes… and on the Cross Christ accomplished everything, the law will not pass until all is accomplished… it does not say it will never passed. Christ’s work for us is finished, completed, accomplished.

Melchior:

You are mistaken. God’s law is eternal and it is good. Fulfilling the law does not abolish it. Only He could fulfill. That is the point. The law is not a debt to be paid it is God’s eternal decree..

It is hardly eternal, scripture said it was “added because of transgressions”, and Moses records specifically that they were not given to the patriarchs, (Deu 5:2 NASB) "The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today.

What is the covenant? (Exo 34:28 NASB) So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

The New Testament is clear that the Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Covenant, which does not include the Jewish Sabbath, and is passed to us through scriptures and traditions of the Catholic Church. This new covenant includes the command not to steal, from both scripture and church command. However, the New Covenant does not command Christians to keep the Jewish Sabbath as was commanded in the 10 Commandments, neither the scriptures or the Church ever commands Christians to observe the Jewish Sabbath.

So, your statement about the eternal law is true in one sense, but luckily, we have been freed from the law through Christ and saved through the New Covenant as found in Christ and his Church. IF you maintain that the Law is eternal, then you are bound to keep not only the 10 Commandments, including the Saturday Sabbath of the Jews (as was commanded in the Law) but you also must keep the other 603 commandments which were given by God as part of the Jewish Law.

No, Christ writes His law on our hearts, and transmits it through the Church, not through ordinances envgraved on stone.

Melchior:

You don’t think the ten Commandments have ceased to exist do you? Because that is what The Law means. If you reallybelieve that it has ceased then can I go steal something?
Mel

Your statemen reveals a very simplistic understanding of the Law, the Law is much more than just the 10 commandments, so… It also includes obedience ot the Church The Church commands the observance of the Lords day (in accordance with scripture) but not contradiction with the 3rd commandment which commands Jewish Sabbath observance.

 

[Roz]

Thank you to all who have responded to my recent posts concerning Sunday obligation. I have enjoyed reading your views, but might not be responding too promptly for a while as a new grandchild is about to join us. One thing has struck me in some responses is that there seems to be the assumption that I personally am not a regular Mass attender and would like there not to be an obligation for this reason. Not so. I am an active member of my church, and attend Sundays, and some weekdays, as well as take part in other Parish activities. I simply do not see why an activity which should be done out of love, is still imposed on us. Quite a number of my friends share the same view.

 

[Philthy]

Sherlock:

There’s a verse in Hebrews 10 (forget the exact verse) which states, “do not neglect the public assembly, as some do”. That on top of the 3rd Commandment seems pretty conclusive to me.

Hebrews 10:24-25

We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another. And this, all the more as you see the day is drawing near.

 

[petra]

Sherlock:

My point in the analogy is that it is objectively healthy to eat vegetables, and objectively unhealthy to eat nothing but desserts. If a parent loved a child, would they let that child do whatever he wanted in regards to food? Eat whatever they want (and let’s face it, that means dessert), whenever they want, because they feel like it? It would be a false love that would let a child harm himself before that child matures. And a person who rebels against legitimate Church authority is not, in my opinion, spiritually mature, and so the Church wisely has guidelines.

I always find the analogy of a parent requiring a child to eat vegetables ironic. Yes, eating vegetables is a healthy thing to do. But does it make sense that a parent would kill a child because he refused to do something healthy? In such a case, the punishment would expedite the outcome it is ostensibly trying to prevent.

In the same way, going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist is tremendously beneficial to our spiritual health. Without it we are weakened. This weakeness puts us in danger of committing mortal sin. I find it ironic that the Church’s punishment for missing Mass without a valid reason expedites the outcome it is trying to prevent.

 

[Sherlock]

Roz:

I simply do not see why an activity which should be done out of love, is still imposed on us. Quite a number of my friends share the same view.

God imposes his Commandments on us, one of which is the Third. I can’t help but notice that you never have addressed this, but insist on repeating the question with the assumed premise that the Church has somehow simply made up the Third Commandment out of thin air. Ask God why he imposes his will on us.

 

[Sherlock]

petra:

I always find the analogy of a parent requiring a child to eat vegetables ironic. Yes, eating vegetables is a healthy thing to do. But does it make sense that a parent would kill a child because he refused to do something healthy? In such a case, the punishment would expedite the outcome it is ostensibly trying to prevent.

In the same way, going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist is tremendously beneficial to our spiritual health. Without it we are weakened. This weakeness puts us in danger of committing mortal sin. I find it ironic that the Church’s punishment for missing Mass without a valid reason expedites the outcome it is trying to prevent.

It’s not Church authority or punishment you’re questioning, it’s God’s. If you have a problem with following the Commandments, your problem is with God. Why do you think that breaking the Commandments is not what it is: namely, serious sin with serious consequences if not repented of? Why would God punish ANYONE if he wants us in heaven? I take it you have problems, then, with the concept of hell? Would you feel better (I know feelings are SO important) if we all decided to re-name the Ten Commandments the “Ten Suggestions”, and declare that if we don’t feel like following them, it’s not a sin? Or, if we allow that it might be sinful to break them, we can tell God that this “hell” business is way over the top and does not meet our enlightened ideas about what punishment should be.

 

[aurora77]

I heard a priest say that we should go to Mass (or for Protestants, their service) b/c it’s one of the few things God asks us to do for Him. The Bible is full of things we’re to do for each other (feed the hungy, etc.), but keeping the Sabbath holy is for God. Jesus tells us to “do this in remembrance of me.”

This same priest talked about how much time we spend doing certain things. We’ve all heard this, how if we live to be 80, we’ll have spent 30 years asleep, 20 years working, that kind of thing. Well, if we go to Mass one hour a week, and spend 5 minutes a day in prayer, we’ll have spent 6 months in worship/time with God. Now is that really too much to ask?

 

[petra]

Sherlock:

It’s not Church authority or punishment you’re questioning, it’s God’s. If you have a problem with following the Commandments, your problem is with God. Why do you think that breaking the Commandments is not what it is: namely, serious sin with serious consequences if not repented of? Why would God punish ANYONE if he wants us in heaven? I take it you have problems, then, with the concept of hell? Would you feel better (I know feelings are SO important) if we all decided to re-name the Ten Commandments the “Ten Suggestions”, and declare that if we don’t feel like following them, it’s not a sin? Or, if we allow that it might be sinful to break them, we can tell God that this “hell” business is way over the top and does not meet our enlightened ideas about what punishment should be.

My goodness. The irony that I described seems to have struck a nerve with you. Your emotional reaction has caused you to read quite a bit into my post that isn’t there. I most certainly do believe that the 10 commandments are in fact commandments, not suggestions. And I most certainly believe in hell and mortal sin. I’m not sure where you think feelings came in…my observation of the irony of a popular analogy was purely rational.

 

[maklavan]

The third Commandment states that we must keep holy the Sabbath day. It does not state that we are obliged to go to Mass on Sunday. This is a concept which is a man-made law,which was introduced at a much later time.In the Middle Ages, the Catholic faith was part of the fabric of life and going to Mass on Sunday was automatic.Today that is not the case. People should go to Mass not only on Sundays but whenever possible because they love God.We need to evangelise Catholics so that they will regard the Mass as the most important act of their week, not tell them they will go to Mass or else!

 

[Sherlock]

maklavan:

The third Commandment states that we must keep holy the Sabbath day. It does not state that we are obliged to go to Mass on Sunday. This is a concept which is a man-made law,which was introduced at a much later time.

I’m not sure I’d entirely agree with this. The Church simply changed the Sabbath to Sunday, but it seems to me that the requirement to “honor” it remains, and the manner of honoring it is consistent with the OT precedent: refraining from unnecessary labor; public worship. This is bolstered by Hebrews 10:25.

maklavan:

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic faith was part of the fabric of life and going to Mass on Sunday was automatic.Today that is not the case. People should go to Mass not only on Sundays but whenever possible because they love God.We need to evangelise Catholics so that they will regard the Mass as the most important act of their week, not tell them they will go to Mass or else!

Of course, approach is very important. The old adage about flies and honey and vinegar applies here…one can go too far in making it seem as if there is no requirement, and one’s subjective feelings about attending are made the criterion.

 

[Roz]

maklavan:

The third Commandment states that we must keep holy the Sabbath day. It does not state that we are obliged to go to Mass on Sunday. This is a concept which is a man-made law,which was introduced at a much later time.In the Middle Ages, the Catholic faith was part of the fabric of life and going to Mass on Sunday was automatic.Today that is not the case. People should go to Mass not only on Sundays but whenever possible because they love God.We need to evangelise Catholics so that they will regard the Mass as the most important act of their week, not tell them they will go to Mass or else!

Very interested to see that you state that Sunday obligation was introduced in the Middle Ages. I also have read this some time ago, probably during study for a course about 20 years ago. Unfortunately I cannot trace my reference for it. Could you help please ?. As I recollect, it was introduced during feudal times, as a means of forcing employers (landowners, etc) to allow their workers to have a day off work.

 

[ComradeAndrei]

The third Commandment states that we must keep holy the Sabbath day. It does not state that we are obliged to go to Mass on Sunday. This is a concept which is a man-made law,which was introduced at a much later time.In the Middle Ages, the Catholic faith was part of the fabric of life and going to Mass on Sunday was automatic.

I take it that you are Catholic, in this case if the Church says that all the Faithful must worship (go to Mass on Sunday and all Holy Days of Obligation) it carries full divine authority. The Pope, as successor to St. Peter and the Hierarchy of the Church (as in the bishops-the successors of the Apostles) have the use of the authority of the Keys.

Thus, what the Church decrees has as much authority as the Commandments because God Himself gave that power to the Church. Also, as the Church is the sole infallible interpreter of Holy Scripture, only She can say what the Third Commandment really means. The Church has said that to keep holy the Sabbath day now means to go to Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days. It is really that simple.

Today that is not the case. People should go to Mass not only on Sundays but whenever possible because they love God.

Yes, people should go to Mass because they love God. However, people should not go to Mass simply on their feelings. The love for God is not a wishy-washy “feeling” that is liable to come and go. To love God is to obey His commands-and going to Mass is one of them.

We need to evangelise Catholics so that they will regard the Mass as the most important act of their week, not tell them they will go to Mass or else!

And if you have seen what happens when obligations are loosened, but without proper teaching, you see what happens. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making Mass inattendance on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation punishable under pain of mortal sin.

A Catholic should be willing to take up the Yoke of Christ upon himself willingly and joyfully. Complaining about obligations does not profit anyone’s spiritual development. You can progress in holiness by faithfully assenting to the Church’s obligatory decrees.

 

[newby]

As was said earlier, the Third Commandment is part of this, but also the most important commandment is at the heart of why we must go to Mass on Sunday and Holy Days. And I agree all of the law while fulfilled by Christ does not go away. The most important reason for the obligation to attend Mass is that we must worship only God, putting no false gods before Him. If we neglect to spend “One Hour” a week with God, we are saying everything else that we would do is more important than God. That is what we are keeping when we attend weekly Mass. And the Church has the authority to determine how we keep the First Commandment.

Newby

 

[MatsMom]

maklavan:

In th “Old days” many people went to Sunday Mass because they feared going to hell for missing. In our times people will not buy into that. Surely people should be wanting to go to church because they love God and the Eucharist? If compulsory Sunday attendance were abolished would it really make for a loss in numbers and, if it did, would it matter? If we are left with a leaven of true believers who want to go to Church it might mean a smaller but more meaningful Church.

Love One another as I have loved you!
Would that even be loving if we were to say, “Your faith is not up to par so you can be excused”?
Just because society decides they are not going to except something (going to Hell) does not mean that it no longer pertains.
I run into people every day that hold the I or we dont buy it position and have to explain that refusal to no longer except something as truth does not make the truth cease to exist.

I had no idea that Jesus Christ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity even existed on earth or the posibility of receiving him until I was almost Forty. The savior of the World right their on every alter at every mass in the hand of the priest. WOW
If all christians understood this I dont think that anything could hold them out, except their own selves.

I do think that its sad that the church has to call it an obligation, But it is her responsibility to do so.

Just my thought
MM

 

[threadkiller]

Philthy:

Hebrews 10:24-25

We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another. And this, all the more as you see the day is drawing near.

“For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgement, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries” Heb.10:26,27.
That sacrifice is the holy sacrifice of the mass which perpetuates Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. The author of Hebrews states that it is a deliberate sin to be absent from that sacrifice, “as is the custom of some(many)”. At least for those who know better.

 

[Pedro]

maklavan:

The third Commandment states that we must keep holy the Sabbath day. It does not state that we are obliged to go to Mass on Sunday.

What was the purpose of the Sabbath in the Mosaic Covenant? First, it was to honor God as creator of all things. It was on the 7th day of the week, and people were made to abstain from working because God completed creation and rested on the 7th day. Second, it was to honor God as author of the Old Covenant, that is why worship and prayers were done on this day.

Now in the the New Testament, who is the new creation? Who is the author of the New Covenant? The answer of course is Jesus.

When was the new creation in Jesus completed? On the Sunday that He resurrected. That is why we call it the Lord’s Day.

What did Jesus command us to do in remembrance of Him? Partake of the Eucharist.

When you understand how the Mass and the Eucharist fulfills the 3rd commandment (plus sacrifices like the Passover, the Day of Atonement, etc.), it should be easy to understand why the Church gives the Mass the same kind of importance that the Jews gave to the Sabbath and the sacrifices of the Old Covenant.