Hello all,
Thank you for your replies. I can certainly see where authority plays a role in this.
I have a few more thoughts. At the end of the day, it is the individual, not the Church, whom gets a person to Heaven. The reason so many of my previous churches as ENCOURAGED, but not REQUIRED, people to attend, is just for that very reason. They would rather people come out of desire, to honestly seek out The Lord, as opposed to just blindly coming every Sunday, dozing off, playing on their phones, thinking about lunch, etc.
When I go to Mass during the week, it’s nice. There are less people, yes, which allows me to better focus. It also allows me to de-stress from work. It’s quiet. It’s cool (temperature). It’s peaceful. I feel a real connection with those around me, and when I say and receive “peace be with you” with those around me, it feels sincere.
When I go to Mass on Saturdays or Sundays, it’s overcrowded. People are still coming into Mass after it’s been going for 20 minutes or more, and people are in the isles trying to cram people into pews. There are lots of screaming children. There are lots of people obviously not interested in being there. It is considerably warm, due to all of the bodies in one place. It is extremely distracting, and of course, due to being on the weekend, makes it all the more easier to think about “hmmm, what can I do tonight” (Saturday) or “hmmm, I wonder what’s for brunch? I wonder if the game will be on today?” (Sunday).
I prefer to go to Mass during the week, and I cherish the times I go, and I really give myself to the Lord. I would hope that this pleases Him more, than say, if I just showed up on weekends with hundreds of other people, many of whom are in “zombie mode”, not really paying attention, and coming up with every excuse, mentally, as to why the environment isn’t especially comfortable.
So let’s say I only go to weekend Mass a dozen or so more times in my lifetime, but spend the rest of my life going to weekly Mass as often as possible. I also take the quiet moments, including those on the weekend, in prayer, in solitude with The Lord, talking to Him, sharing with Him my deepest desires (not that he doesn’t already know them), and really doing everything I can to craft that INDIVIDUAL relationship… when I do pass on from this life, will God say to me “You did not attend Mass/Church on the weekends. Depart from me, I do not know ye.”, or will he embrace me with open arms, for having come to Him as a child in need of a Father, and taking Him with me wherever I go, whenever, not just leaving Him inside of the Church building, like so many others?
Think about it.
of course all days are His, but this is the day He rested from His work (Genesis). So we honour Him on that day and rest too. We go to church simply to spend time with Him, out of love. The reason Saturday 5:00 pm Mass counts for the Sunday obligation is because in Biblical times, the day would begin on the evening of the previous day. So Sunday “begins” Saturday evening.