I don't want to go to Mass

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Okay, everyone, I think I’m needing some help.

I’ve been a Catholic for two years now. I usually go to Confession at least once a month, sometimes more if I can get a sitter for the children. I usually live for Mass-Sunday is the highlight of my week.

But for the last several weeks, I have not gone to Mass. I just don’t want to be there. I don’t know what changed, or why I suddenly don’t want to go, but I just can’t seem to get the movitation to go.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Has anyone gone through this before? Can anyone offer me some advice on what to do?

Thanks.
Scout :tiphat:
 
Sure I’ve been there (just recently) for mwe it had to do with the frustration of not being able to recieve communion after months and months it wore down on me. Just go no matter how much you don’t want to, it’ll pass.

God Bless!
 
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Scout:
Okay, everyone, I think I’m needing some help.

I’ve been a Catholic for two years now. I usually go to Confession at least once a month, sometimes more if I can get a sitter for the children. I usually live for Mass-Sunday is the highlight of my week.

But for the last several weeks, I have not gone to Mass. I just don’t want to be there. I don’t know what changed, or why I suddenly don’t want to go, but I just can’t seem to get the movitation to go.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Has anyone gone through this before? Can anyone offer me some advice on what to do?

Thanks.
Scout :tiphat:
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The easy answer is that Satan has found a way to attack you. You may have been spiritually living on high from the zeal you found in your conversion and that zeal is wearing off. Satan knows that the graces gained from the Mass and esp. the Eucharist are great barriers to his efforts. Since you have missed for several weeks (and during Lent), it appears the Enemy may be winning.

Or you might be just going thru a dry time. You are called to fight thru it by asking for the Holy Spirit to console you.

The hard answer is that Christ may see that you have formed “silver bullets” that are becoming obstacles to the whisper of the Holy Spirit. In your zeal to be a new Catholic, you took on so many Catholic practices all at once that you are over-whelmed and tired. The Holy Spirit wants you to step back and go back to the basics. You may have developed a regimen that can lead to scrupulousity. Your lost zeal for the Mass could be an indication to step back. But He knows that you will recognize missing Mass isn’t the answer as it is the essential food so it will cause you to examine everything else.

But you have to get back to Mass. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for your fellow parishioners. Do it for me. We miss you in Mass. The mystical Body of Christ weeps for the struggles of you and sings w/ joy when you join us at Mass.
 
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Orionthehunter:
But you have to get back to Mass. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for your fellow parishioners. Do it for me. We miss you in Mass. The mystical Body of Christ weeps for the struggles of you and sings w/ joy when you join us at Mass.
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Amen!

There is something to be said for just “going through the motions” even when you don’t feel like it. The obligation to assist at Mass attaches whether we feel like it or not, but the going under obedience may supply you with the graces to regain your lost feeling.

tee
 
JUST GO. I know it is easy to say. But, IMHO we have all gone through times we did not “want” to go. Satan creeps in when we are the weakest. When we don’t want to go is when we MUST so even more.

This thread came at a good time for me. Thank you. I have been skipping daily Mass sometimes with the old “I’m tired”, “don’t feel real good” and other excuses. So I need to take my own advice and JUST GO. I always feel better when I have gone so again Thank You for reminding me to JUST GO.
 
I have to agree with the other posters . . . sometimes you go because you “have” to, not because you want to. There have been many Sundays that I didn’t get up early enough, couldn’t get my son ready in time, was too hungry to fast, etc but my loving husband doesn’t let my excuses stand in the way of getting to Mass. I know not everyone is lucky enough to have a husband like mine, but we do have to just get our butts in the pews. I’d love to tell you that every time I go to Mass, I’m exceedingly glad to have ignored my excuses. I’m not. Sometimes, my son is a royal terror, my stomach doesn’t stop growling, and I’m more tired at the end of Mass than at the beginning. But when I don’t go . . . not only do I feel guilty, but my behaviors and feelings the next week show how much easier it is for the Devil to attack when you don’t get near to the Lord. So I go. I will pray for you. Have a blessed Easter.

MJ
 
Go to mass. Do it for God, not for yourself, not for anyone else, just go because you know that God wants you to go.
 
One of the other posters may have said the best that can be said, about you experiencing some deflation after the excitement was over.

The Israelites wanted to be freed from their slavery in Egypt, but when they had their freedom even while wandering in the desert, many wanted to actually go back to bondage in Egypt. Those people in the Bible were exactly like us, and vice versa. (That’s what’s so enticing about reading the Bible.)

I think you need to get involved in some activity or two at the parish and get moving again. Do something extra, even the ministries of the liturgy - reading, distributing communion, being a greeter or an usher, or whatever.

The Lord gave us the liturgy. It’s not just a ritual, no matter how many distractions there are, or no matter how routine the exercise may be. Remember the third commandment.

The Mass is dripping with significance and relevance. I just read an insight that the Sabbath rest in Genesis was a day to rest, for sure, but also to worship God for all of creation. That should get us moving, all the Sundays of our lives.
 
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Scout:
Okay, everyone, I think I’m needing some help.

I’ve been a Catholic for two years now. I usually go to Confession at least once a month, sometimes more if I can get a sitter for the children. I usually live for Mass-Sunday is the highlight of my week.

But for the last several weeks, I have not gone to Mass. I just don’t want to be there. I don’t know what changed, or why I suddenly don’t want to go, but I just can’t seem to get the movitation to go.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Has anyone gone through this before? Can anyone offer me some advice on what to do?

Thanks.
Scout :tiphat:
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Go no matter what. Satan is trying to keep you from the Eucharist by planting these thoughts in you. Yes its true. Just keep going, pray in front of the Tabernacle before Mass, say a rosary there, it will get better for you really quick.

Peace of Christ be with you!
 
it’s called the “honeymoon is over” and it is a natural stage in any relationship, including a new-found relationship with Jesus Christ. the emotional high is over, the “in-love” feeling has faded, and it is time for something more mature to develop. It happens when the wife of a few years just does not want to look at another dirty sock or hair all over the sink, when the husband thinks wife is looking a little hippy and disheveled, and wonders “is the romance gone?”

It happens when the delighted mother of a newborn turns into the harried frazzled mother of a 2-yr-old and seriously considers calling military schools to see how young they take 'em. It happens when the college whiz kid who landed a dream job in the law firm or computer company faces up to the fact that all jobs involve day to day drudgery.
this is when the adult takes over from the adolescent. Getting up and doing your job at home, at work, in the community, and doing what God asks of you every day is called “taking up your cross” for a reason. Your feelings, motivation, interest level are immaterial. Just do it.
 
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puzzleannie:
it’s called the “honeymoon is over” and it is a natural stage in any relationship, including a new-found relationship with Jesus Christ. the emotional high is over, the “in-love” feeling has faded, and it is time for something more mature to develop. It happens when the wife of a few years just does not want to look at another dirty sock or hair all over the sink, when the husband thinks wife is looking a little hippy and disheveled, and wonders “is the romance gone?”

It happens when the delighted mother of a newborn turns into the harried frazzled mother of a 2-yr-old and seriously considers calling military schools to see how young they take 'em. It happens when the college whiz kid who landed a dream job in the law firm or computer company faces up to the fact that all jobs involve day to day drudgery.
this is when the adult takes over from the adolescent. Getting up and doing your job at home, at work, in the community, and doing what God asks of you every day is called “taking up your cross” for a reason. Your feelings, motivation, interest level are immaterial. Just do it.
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good post, puzzleannie
This has happened to me as well…I just keep going…
 
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Scout:
Okay, everyone, I think I’m needing some help.

I’ve been a Catholic for two years now. I usually go to Confession at least once a month, sometimes more if I can get a sitter for the children. I usually live for Mass-Sunday is the highlight of my week.

But for the last several weeks, I have not gone to Mass. I just don’t want to be there. I don’t know what changed, or why I suddenly don’t want to go, but I just can’t seem to get the movitation to go.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Has anyone gone through this before? Can anyone offer me some advice on what to do?

Thanks.
Scout :tiphat:
Click to expand...
Ah!!! Scout!!! This is great news! This means that you are now ready to move out of the emotional phase. Virtue is built in spiritual dryness not when one is high on life. It’s carrying the cross in the dull hours of the day with no one watching our heroism. Now you have the golden opportunity to learn how to rely on your WILL to please and love Christ. My suggestion, keep doing what you were doing and add some more. We have a few more days in Lent and use that to push push push…all the way to Easter!

God bless you!

in XT.
 
Thanks for the advice, everyone. My struggle is just getting my actions to match what my head is telling me. That’s a very difficult mountain to get over for me right now.

I think I feel guilty about not sticking to my Lenten fast. I’ve also been having some difficulties with my parish priest, which makes focusing on the Mass much more difficult. Before Lent, I was really looking forward to Easter. Now, I’m not looking forward to it at all. Frankly, I feel like I’ll be glad when it’s over and things can get back to “normal”.
Scout :tiphat:
 
Try this:

As you read this post, stop for a few seconds and say the Apostles Creed.

Particularly the part where you acknowledge that there is a God and that God created us and everything around us… heaven and earth…

That God is the Creator and we, humans, are merely creations… with free will, but mere creations in any case.

And then consider that traditionally God has demanded that we human creations offer sacrifice to God… usually lambs or other physical sacrifices.

Now, we have the Mass… and you know the history of how the Mass / Passover Seder came about…

So, what you can do is view yourself as conducting a personal sacrifice… once a week you travel to your Catholic church building and witness a designated person who has dedicated his life to offering sacrifice to God… the priest … as he represents the sacrifice to God.

And you can join YOUR act of sacrifice to the priest’s act of sacrifice.

It’s an inconvenience; it takes time that we would rather be sleeping or playing sports or whatever; we give up some of our money… but we deliberately and consciously tell God that we acknowledge His “Creator-ship” and His INFINITY… and we offer the hour or two (with dressing and travel time) as OUR personal sacrifice to God.

So, when you are at Mass, when you find yourself getting bored or tired or wishing you are somewhere else or doing something else, …

… say a prayer that “I give this time/ feelings of boredom and feelings of impatience to You, Oh Lord, God, Creator of the Universe, Jesus, Judge, Holy Spirit… I offer all of this up as a sacrifice, imperfect as it is, to You.”
 
Al Masetti:
Try this:

As you read this post, stop for a few seconds and say the Apostles Creed.

Particularly the part where you acknowledge that there is a God and that God created us and everything around us… heaven and earth…

That God is the Creator and we, humans, are merely creations… with free will, but mere creations in any case.

And then consider that traditionally God has demanded that we human creations offer sacrifice to God… usually lambs or other physical sacrifices.

Now, we have the Mass… and you know the history of how the Mass / Passover Seder came about…

So, what you can do is view yourself as conducting a personal sacrifice… once a week you travel to your Catholic church building and witness a designated person who has dedicated his life to offering sacrifice to God… the priest … as he represents the sacrifice to God.

And you can join YOUR act of sacrifice to the priest’s act of sacrifice.

It’s an inconvenience; it takes time that we would rather be sleeping or playing sports or whatever; we give up some of our money… but we deliberately and consciously tell God that we acknowledge His “Creator-ship” and His INFINITY… and we offer the hour or two (with dressing and travel time) as OUR personal sacrifice to God.

So, when you are at Mass, when you find yourself getting bored or tired or wishing you are somewhere else or doing something else, …

… say a prayer that “I give this time/ feelings of boredom and feelings of impatience to You, Oh Lord, God, Creator of the Universe, Jesus, Judge, Holy Spirit… I offer all of this up as a sacrifice, imperfect as it is, to You.”
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Very very good reminder. As Mass is Worship and not entertainment, we need to recollect a spirit of Sacrifice. In a talk by a priest, I was amazed how I looked at things completely upside-down.

He said that all the good work and mistakes and sins you’ve done for the day are all expiated and glorified at the moment of Consecration…this only happens when we join all that we’ve done, not done, ommitted and committed on that same altar where Christ takes it in and purifies it…then afterwards, we receive his body and blood.

And it’s available everyday of the year! What a gift!

in XT.
 
I’ve heard it described as the “dark night of the soul” where you lose your zeal for God and His Sacraments.

Like the other posters have said, just keep plugging away going through the motions until it passes.
 
Scout, I know your pains. I have my highs and lows. Some weeks I want to go to Mass every single day when I wake up. Some weeks I think to myself “Uh, gotta get up for Mass.”

But I will tell you this - now matter how I feel BEFORE I go, I always am happy and I thank God that I did go. Even with daily Mass. Sometimes it feels like a burden to make time to go to Mass, but when I do I am never sorry I did.

Like others said, just GO. When you get there focus on Christ, you won’t be sorry you went.
 
[My struggle is just getting my actions to match what my head is telling me. That’s a very difficult mountain to get over for me right now.

Scout :tiphat:
[/QUOTE]

Hi, Scout.

I have this struggle a lot, too. But when I finally started getting really serious about my faith, about a year ago, here is what I realized. I have been going to an exercise class twice a week for many years. The way that I make myself attend it regularly is to tell myself that unless I am sick or have a specific schedule conflict, I will go, whether I want to or not, even when I am “too tired” or “too busy”. And then I realized that I hadn’t been taking regular Mass attendance as seriously as I had been taking regular attendance at my exercise class. And then I realized that I needed to change that, and I have.

Maybe there are some things in your life that you already do, pretty much without fail, whether you want to or not, and maybe looking at that can help you out here.

Good luck. It sounds like you are on the right track already.
 
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