Missing Mass

[nodito]

This is one I struggle with too. I find it difficult to confess when I struggle with the mortal sin aspect. To be forgiven, don’t I need to fully embrace the teaching?

No, to be forgiven you must be contrite (sorry that you did something) and confess it. That you don’t yet fully understand the gravity of the sin does not invalidate your confession of it (if it did - we’d all be in trouble - our sin, even “little sin,” is infinitely evil when it offends an infinitely good God and how could we ever fully comprehend that?).

In short, it’s enough to know that the sin is grave matter (as the Church teaches and enumerated in the 10 commandments), and you can judge whether it was mortal or not depending on whether you knew it was a sin and chose to do it freely anyway.

 

[Joe_5859]

I need to be more aware of when each holy day is and try not to just depend on the priest to remind me during mass. I’ve been good about going to mass on Sundays and weekday whenever I can make it but I’ll have to admit that I sometimes do forget about a holy day of obligation.

For you in Texas, there are only 5 Holy Days of Obligation that have not been transferred to a Sunday: Christmas (easy to remember), January 1 (pretty easy to remember), August 15, November 1, and December 8. You’re in luck that November 1 falls on a Sunday this year. So the next one you have to remember is December 8.

 

[Joe_5859]

Missing Mass is a mortal sin since the Church commands us to hear Mass on Sundays and holy days. To miss Mass is to disobey the Church which has the authority to bind & loose. Mass is very important because it is the only adoration truly worthy of God because it is the reoffering of the Sacrifice of the Cross through the priest who is acting in persona Christi. Going to Mass is our participation in the Sacrifice of the Cross and it gives us the graces of this Sacrifice. Not to mention Holy Communion which is necessary for our salvation since it nourishes our souls.

This is very well put. Thanks!

 

[Della]

It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea that missing mass is a mortal sin. Since being confirmed this past Easter I’ve been really good about always attending mass. This past Saturday I celebrated my 30th birthday with friends and family and we went out and it was a long night. A few of my friends spent the night at my house and I was really tired so I decided to skip mass on Sunday. We don’t see our friends very often because of distance so I felt like it was better for me to spend the morning with them since they’re not church going people. I was unable to attend an evening mass because of conflict of schedule. I’m sure if I really tried I could of gone to an early morning mass, but again I was up really late on Saturday. By the way very rare for me to be out all night.

It’s just hard for me to accept that I have committed a grievous sin. When I think of mortal sins I think of big lies, murder and adultery…things like that.

Most of the reponses so far have been pretty straightforward and a little hard, IMHO. For many of us converts aligning ourselves to thinking as Catholics first and foremost can take some time. RCIA doesn’t always cover everything and sometimes we simply don’t retain what we learned. I don’t believe you set out to miss Mass by having guests for the weekend. That means you’re not as culpable as someone who simply blew Mass off by planning from the get-go when you made plans for the weekend. Now that you know how important attending Masses of obligation are, you will have that in mind when you make any future plans with friends. When you go to confession just say you missed Sunday Mass. If he wants more details he’ll ask for them. Go to confession and be at peace for God will forgive you, and you will be absolved.

 

[rose_kelly]

Where did you get the idea that the OP did not intend to miss mass?

OP made a conscious decision to miss mass on Sunday. Might want to re-read post #1.

I was considering the OPs full explanation of the whole situation. It didn’t appear to me that there had been a deliberate intention to miss mass.
However, there was an admission expressed that missing mass on that occasion didn’t feel like a mortal sin, so that’s something they have to to deal with. They can only do that with spiritual guidance and understanding, not by accusation.

People have abandoned the church completely due to difficulties of personal experience, I wouldn’t want that to happen to the OP.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I was considering the OPs full explanation of the whole situation. It didn’t appear to me that there had been a deliberate intention to miss mass.
However, there was an admission expressed that missing mass on that occasion didn’t feel like a mortal sin, so that’s something they have to to deal with. They can only do that with spiritual guidance and understanding, not by accusation.

People have abandoned the church completely due to difficulties of personal experience, I wouldn’t want that to happen to the OP.

There seems to be an epidemic of misunderstanding mercy these days.

It is our job to help our fellow Catholics. And it is our job to make sure our consciences and theirs are properly formed. When you provide false justifications to the OP to “trick” them into not leaving the Church. You not only do them a disservice, but you risk bringing culpability upon yourself. To be held hostage by the threat of people “leaving” the Church because the teachings are confusing or hard to understand is to do the opposite of Jesus when those followers left him for his hard teachings. Wouldn’t it better your soul and the OP’s to encourage obedience and faithfulness?
The OP made a conscious decision to choose friends over a directive of the Church. The first step to reconcile that and rejoin the communion of the faithful is to acknowledge it and express contrition And to not do it again.

Perhaps we don’t go to confession often enough to remember these words that we should say daily so I will repost them here.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for
having offended you, and I detest
all my sins, because of Your just
punishments, but most of all because
they offend You, my God, who are
all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of
Your grace, to sin no more and to
avoid the near occasion of sin.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

People have abandoned the church completely due to difficulties of personal experience, I wouldn’t want that to happen to the OP.

People abandon the Church when they sin. Always have always will.

 

[yellowbird]

Most of the reponses so far have been pretty straightforward and a little hard, IMHO. For many of us converts aligning ourselves to thinking as Catholics first and foremost can take some time. RCIA doesn’t always cover everything and sometimes we simply don’t retain what we learned. I don’t believe you set out to miss Mass by having guests for the weekend. That means you’re not as culpable as someone who simply blew Mass off by planning from the get-go when you made plans for the weekend. Now that you know how important attending Masses of obligation are, you will have that in mind when you make any future plans with friends. When you go to confession just say you missed Sunday Mass. If he wants more details he’ll ask for them. Go to confession and be at peace for God will forgive you, and you will be absolved.

What a lovely, kind post. Thank you for this, Della! I agree OP - go to confession, and be forgiven. That’s what it’s for. And know this - we’re all a work in progress. God bless you.

 

[elcaballo]

I appreciate all of the responses - the gentle and the hard ones! We all need some tough love at times, but a special thanks to the one who’s approach was a bit different and gentler without compromising the truth. I understand the truth, but for some it’s not easy to always obey it. It’s been a long road for me, coming from a Protestant church. But I’m here now! Trying my best. And I am so thankful for all of you. I pray to God that he keeps teaching me and help me to surrender to his will at all times.

God bless

 

[Matthew125]

I pray to God that he keeps teaching me and help me to surrender to his will at all times.

I do this every morning, but I have to realize that I am human, fallible and make mistakes. Matt’s will can sound a lot like God’s will at times. As others have said, go to Confession and be at peace.

But on a more tactical note, you should considering getting the MassTimes app (masstimes.org) for your phone. I have found it helpful to locate a Mass when I have unforeseen changes in my schedule which preclude getting to the usual 11:00 am Mass at my parish. Just a thought.

Matt

 

[b_ulmen]

is required mass attendance mandated by God or a creation of man? Admittedly I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I don’t recall “thou shall gather weekly” in the NT.

 

[Dorothy]

is required mass attendance mandated by God or a creation of man? Admittedly I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I don’t recall “thou shall gather weekly” in the NT.

“Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day”.

In the New Testament we keep Sunday Holy by gathering as a community in prayer, and in receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bread of Life.

What an awesome gift the Mass is to us!

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

is required mass attendance mandated by God or a creation of man? Admittedly I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I don’t recall “thou shall gather weekly” in the NT.

If it is mandated by the Church then what is the difference?

Why are you limiting yourself to the new testament? The Bible in it’s entirety is the story of the salvation of man and the relationship we have with God. NT directives make no sense without old testament context…

 

[Della]

“Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day”.

Yes, the commandments of God are still in force because they are the natural law which God has implanted in the hearts of men–clarified and ratified in the Ten Commandments.

In the New Testament we keep Sunday Holy by gathering as a community in prayer, and in receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bread of Life.

What an awesome gift the Mass is to us!

The Church transferred the Sabbath obligation to Sunday in remembrance of Christ’s resurrection. :yup:

Also, b_ulmen, the NT does mention the obligation of gathering together to worship:

Hebrews 10[24] and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
[25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

 

[b_ulmen]

If it is mandated by the Church then what is the difference?

I’m asking to know if this is something we did to ourselves (self/man imposed) or is it a directive from Jesus.

I see the linkage to certain communities gathering together, but I don’t read that as a mandate from Jesus. Now, if the context for keeping the Sabbath required gathering together then there’s the answer.

I’m not looking to be heretical or anything, just trying to work thru the arguments to understand the whole.

 

[Della]

I’m asking to know if this is something we did to ourselves (self/man imposed) or is it a directive from Jesus.

I see the linkage to certain communities gathering together, but I don’t read that as a mandate from Jesus. Now, if the context for keeping the Sabbath required gathering together then there’s the answer.

I’m not looking to be heretical or anything, just trying to work thru the arguments to understand the whole.

It is a directive from Jesus for two reasons:

1. Firstly, because Jesus himself kept the Sabbath as commanded in the Law. If it were no longer to be kept he’d not have done so and he would have taught that, but he didn’t. Jesus told us that we are to “learn from him,” from his example, what we are to believe and to do.
2. Secondly, because he sent the Apostles out in his name:

Mt. 28[18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
[20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

So, whatever the Apostles taught is what Jesus taught. They got their authority directly from him. The verse I quoted about gathering together wasn’t a mere suggestion, it was a command.

Today, whatever the Magisterium teaches is to be blelieved, and what they tells us to practice, is to be practiced, for the members of the Magisterium are the successors to the Apostles, through the laying on of hands in ordination.

 

[b_ulmen]

I agree with the keeping the Sabbath, I guess I’m just not totally clear on what the complete checklist is for keeping the Sabbath as stated in the Bible.

If the quote about gathering was not as ambiguous as it is written, but more like a command as you say, then guess there’s the authoritative mandate for weekly gathering.

“Today, whatever the Magisterium teaches is to be believed, and what they tells us to practice, is to be practiced,…” this statist-like attitude (not meant to be personally derogatory towards you) is sorta a put-off; kinda like: “why Dad?” “Because I said so, now do it” - something I’ve used on my own kids.

When God says “thou shall”, I’m in receive mode and salutin’&executin’. When man says the same, I tend to be more cautious.

 

[Della]

I agree with the keeping the Sabbath, I guess I’m just not totally clear on what the complete checklist is for keeping the Sabbath as stated in the Bible.

If the quote about gathering was not as ambiguous as it is written, but more like a command as you say, then guess there’s the authoritative mandate for weekly gathering.

“Today, whatever the Magisterium teaches is to be believed, and what they tells us to practice, is to be practiced,…” this statist-like attitude (not meant to be personally derogatory towards you) is sorta a put-off; kinda like: “why Dad?” “Because I said so, now do it” - something I’ve used on my own kids.

When God says “thou shall”, I’m in receive mode and salutin’&executin’. When man says the same, I tend to be more cautious.

The distrust in the Magisterium comes, sadly, from the reformation and has had a huge impact on Christianity, even Catholics, that the “rules and regs” of the Church are merely man made and/or mandated. Before the reformation this wasn’t the case. People knew and accepted that Christ had established his Church on the Apostles, on men, not on a book. By transferring the teaching authority from men, which is how Christ set it up, to a book, it threw open the floodgates for private interpretation for every verse, making every man his own Magisterium.

The charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals given to the Apotles and their successors has nothing to do with finding supporting verses in the Bible. The Bible is the witness to Christ and his Church not the other way around. Jesus gave men the authority to speak in his name. Whatever the Church teaches is the teaching of Christ for the Church is Christ’s body of which he is the head.

No matter how far to the left or to the right the Church may seem to sway, in the end, it always stays on course, like a ship being tossed by the waves. The captain and his crew guide the ship through rough seas and calm because it is their responsibility. It’s the same with the Magisterium. We can completely trust the Magisterium because it is the Holy Spirit who guides the Church, not merely men’s ideas. So, fear not, as St. Pope John Paul II was so fond of saying. The Church cannot err in matters of faith and morals because the Holy Spirit cannot err.

 

[Bookcat]

I

It is now not the “Sabbath” that we observe as Christians -but the Lords Day.

See these:

Catechism

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm

Pope Benedict XVI (very rich–keep reading do not miss anything in 70-74)

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html#The_eucharistic_form_of_the_christian_life

The whole Document here:

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html

Bl. Pope John Paul II (also rich -very in depth all about the Lords Day)

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_05071998_dies-domini_en.html

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a3.htm#2041

 

[Bookcat]

I

As the early martyrs put it - *without the Lords Day (the Sunday Eucharist) it is not possible to live. *