grace

[coleraine]

We Catholics still follow the 10 commandments, a necessary tradition as far as I’m concerned. We Catholics indeed have a sacred obligation to attend Mass. Remember that the Third Commandment states, “Keep Holy the Sabbath.” For the Jewish people, the Old Testament Sabbath was on Saturday, marking the “day of rest” after creation. For Christians, we have always kept holy Sunday, the day of the resurrection.

Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit grave sin, and grave sin is indeed mortal sin. Serious circumstances arise which excuse a person from attending Mass, like being sick and blizzards etc. . . When a person negligently “bags Mass,” to go shopping, catch-up on work, sleep a few extra hours, attend a social event, or not interrupt vacation, the person is allowing something to take the place of God.

Yes, such behavior really is turning one’s back on the Lord and committing a mortal sin. God must come first in our lives. On Sunday, our primary duty is to worship God at Mass as a Church and to be nourished with His grace.

Peace,

Ryan

i understand what you mean, and i believe the commandments should be handled with reverence, but im not so sure taht, “you shall keep the sabbath holy” means what it did back then. i mean, back then there was a sabbath on a particular day. but today, you have a choice on when to go. im not attacking your claim, its a very good response, im just saying how i feel on that particular subject. thanks for responding!

 

[catharina]

Romans 4,

Welcome to the forums. Hopefully you will find it a enjoyable and edifying experience – good people and good conversation.

I would like to ask you if you would reconsider your above post, and either modify it or perhaps delete it altogether. As a Christian gentleman (or gentle-lady), it seems a bit unbecoming of you to suggest that the above 14 year old(!) poster does not know Christ. He (or she) asked a Catholic question on a Catholic board, of a very serious nature. I don’t think now is the time for your point. It seems somewhat predatory.

Please consider an edit.

Welcome to the forums again.
VC

VC, I agree with your statement and will add that for us in the RC Church, the seven Sacraments exist as Sacraments (outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace) and not as mere “traditions.” That all be one, Oh dearest Lord, we pray … .

 

[Linda_Marie]

Originally Posted by coleraine
but today, you have a choice on when to go.

This is incorrect. Even if you attend daily Mass, Mass on Sunday is still obligatory unless a condition such as illness, a dispensation, etc, as set out in the Catechism applies. Sunday begins at 6:30pm Saturday night, so the Saturday Night Vigil Mass is a Sunday Mass and meets the requirements of the Church.

If you can’t make it to Mass, even if there is no one else to join with you, you can read the Readings for the day and contemplate them so you can at least have a Liturgy of the Word and make a Spiritual Communion. If you have access to a computer at your dad’s here is a link.
Daily Word For Reflection – The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries
groups.google.com/group/dailyword-weekahead
Spiritual Communion:
savior.org/ (live webcam Adoration)

My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen

From the Catechism:
scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm#2192

The Sunday obligation

2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass."117 "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."118

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. **For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.**119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

2182 Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2183 "If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the Liturgy of the Word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families."120

 

[coleraine]

This is incorrect. Even if you attend daily Mass, Mass on Sunday is still obligatory unless a condition such as illness, a dispensation, etc, as set out in the Catechism applies. Sunday begins at 6:30pm Saturday night, so the Saturday Night Vigil Mass is a Sunday Mass and meets the requirements of the Church.

If you can’t make it to Mass, even if there is no one else to join with you, you can read the Readings for the day and contemplate them so you can at least have a Liturgy of the Word and make a Spiritual Communion. If you have access to a computer at your dad’s here is a link.
Daily Word For Reflection – The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries
groups.google.com/group/dailyword-weekahead
Spiritual Communion:
savior.org/ (live webcam Adoration)

My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen

From the Catechism:
scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm#2192

i gotcha. i just always figured sunday began at 12 on sturday. whyv 6:30?

 

[clmowry]

Hello CM,
It sounds like its OK for you that we are their “mission field” I resent this because I come to this board because I like to hear and speak and be with other Catholic minded individuals. I am a bit tired (having listened for several years on another board the rantings of rabidly anti catholic evangelicals) and thought that this being Catholic Answers and Peter Kreeft at the helm there would be more “catholic” than anything else.
Anyway, I will be away for a week (in Rome) so I wont be able to answer but if you post for me will reply on return.
Good night and God Bless
GraceAngel.

In the Apologetics section of the forum, you can pretty much expect to get the alternative points of view.

For clean cut answers, it’s better to post the question elsewhere.

Chuck

 

[Linda_Marie]

i gotcha. i just always figured sunday began at 12 on sturday. whyv 6:30?

This is a carry over from our Judaic roots. The Jewish day begins at sunset and carries to the following sunset. The Apostles would not have changed the way they measured days, so the Early Church also followed this way of reckoning days. I don’t know when it was declared that 6:30pm was officially sunset and the beginning of a new day, probably sometime after the invention of accurate timepieces.

The Jewish Calendar
jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/m_calint.htm

 

[Grace_Angel]

They really don’t know any better at all. Most of them have been wrongly taught about Catholicism. I can assure you that they will never learn it on their own forum! All that will happen is that their erroneous thinking will be reinforced. I think that persons such as this are part of the reason for having the forum. Pray for them!

As a person who spent a long time lapsed an in Protestant communities, I think you are right, it is opportunistic. Evangelicals are taught to “be instant, in season and out of season” ie; don’t miss a single opportunity to share the gospel

Evangelicals see themselves preying upon the devil, and pushing back his turf. Many have been erroneously taught that the Roman Catholic Church is part of that turf.

The vast majority of distortions, though, are done in ignorance. Most evangelicals have never studied any church history.

Absolutely! Gotta get those poor souls out of that “whore of babylon”. God have mercy.

Verbum Caro, Respectfull I disagree that distortions are done in ignorance, there is a definite considered intention to demean and detract the Catholic Church and its beliefs and faith. I can live with “ignorance” but its hard listening to strident rabid anti catholic voices.