Where does it say...?

[kyleboerner]

Hello friends in Christ,

Can you help me point to New Testament scripture that 1. says we need to attend church, and 2. gives examples of the fathers of the Catholic Church holding mass?

Thank you,
Kyle

 

[InternetWoman]

Jesus gives Peter (our first Pope) the authority to make rules. One of the rules (made by later Popes(s) is “go to Mass on Sunday”.

Jesus gave this authority to Peter, as described in Matthew 16:18-19. The focus of authority being “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

This is referred to as “the power of the keys”.

The link below is to an article on the New Advent website about the Early Fathers and the Mass. The key apparently is to recognize they did not call it the Mass at first, but “the breaking of the bread” and “the Eucharist”.

newadvent.org/cathen/09790b.htm

 

[ChurchSoldier]

You will need to read the Bible, and particularly the New Testament for all the specific examples.

Generally speaking:
There is never an example either OT or NT (that I can recall)of when worship at a house of prayer was available that people were told not to attend.

Jesus always attended the Synagogue or Temple until they kicked him out. (Gospels)

Peter and John are spoken of as going to the Temple. (Acts)

The community devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and breaking bread. The job of the Apostles is discussed as “praying and teaching”. They teach in the Synagogue or the Churches. (Both topics in Acts)

Paul states it doesn’t matter which day of the week you go to worship, but he doesn’t give permission to not go. (Romans)

And keeping the Sabbath a Holy is the only commandment of the 10 not mentioned or re-instituted in the NT btw.

And Christianity is a religion of community, and the only way to be in community is to join with others regularly.

Good luck in your research.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Hello friends in Christ,

Can you help me point to New Testament scripture that 1. says we need to attend church, and 2. gives examples of the fathers of the Catholic Church holding mass?

Thank you,
Kyle

The Bible is clear OT and New to set aside a day for the Lord. This was the Saturday sabbath until Christians were no longer allowed in the temple so they set aside “the lords day” which is Sunday.

Sy Justin Martyr speaks quite clearly of the mass around 120 Ad.

what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.

We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.

The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said: This is my blood. The Lord gave this command to them alone. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always united. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray.

On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, “Amen”. The eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.

The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.

We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration.

Justin Martyr

 

[spedteacherita]

Hello friends in Christ,

Can you help me point to New Testament scripture that 1. says we need to attend church, and 2. gives examples of the fathers of the Catholic Church holding mass?

Thank you,
Kyle

1 Corinthians 23-26

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat;[a] this is My body which is broken** for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.**

 

[Dorothy]

Hello friends in Christ,

Can you help me point to New Testament scripture that 1. says we need to attend church, and 2. gives examples of the fathers of the Catholic Church holding mass?

Thank you,
Kyle

Jesus said “Take and eat, for THIS IS MY BODY.” And the same for the Precious Blood. And, it had already said a lot more to the apostles in John 6, about eating His Flesh and drinking His Blood, in order to have life in us.

The apostles were commissioned to do just that at the Last Supper.

And where do we do that? Together, as a community at Mass! The Mass and the Eucharist…the source and summit of our Catholic faith!

We can ask the Lord to increase our faith every day, so as not to lose spiritual sight of that tremendous Gift. Prayer opens our heart to the truths of our faith.

 

[Abu]

kyleboerner #1
Can you help me point to New Testament scripture that 1. says we need to attend church, and 2. gives examples of the fathers of the Catholic Church holding mass?

The first command by God re worship was to Moses to “Keep holy the Sabbath day.” Jesus gave us the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by ordaining His Apostles priests at the Last Supper. As has been pointed out the faithful “remained faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.” (Acts 2:42). So, as Jesus commanded, His Church has the Eucharist (Holy Mass), His seven sacraments, the Magisterium in the primacy and infallibility of the Pope, Her Tradition and Her Sacred Scriptures.

Christ’s Catholic Church changed the day of worship from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday to commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus on Sunday

 

[DesertSister62]

The verse that immediately comes to mind is this one;

Hebrews 10:25 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

***25 We should not stay away from our assembly,[a] as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.

---

Footnotes:
10:25 Our assembly: the liturgical assembly of the Christian community, probably for the celebration of the Eucharist.The day: this designation for the parousia also occurs in the Pauline letters, e.g., Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 3:13; 1 Thes 5:2.

 

[McCartney]

If you do not attend mass where would you get the Eucharist?

 

[Stephen_says]

I always thought this was a sign of one of the first Masses:

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.”

26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been [f]shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”​

Why did Jesus wait so long to appear again? Because if he first appeared on Sunday, and then 8 days later (which would be 7 days + the original Sunday= 8 days) it was Sunday again, and they were saying Mass!

PS. I have no proof of this, it’s just my thought…

 

[Ignatius]

Hello friends in Christ,

Can you help me point to New Testament scripture that 1. says we need to attend church, and 2. gives examples of the fathers of the Catholic Church holding mass?

You don’t know this? Find where it says that everything must be in the Bible, it’s right in the same place.

 

[kyleboerner]

So many wonderful responses! Thank you all! God bless! Jon S - the Justin Martyr quote was excellent!