Why Do We Primarily Attend Mass?

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The primary reason Catholics attend the Mass is to be present at the foot of Calvary as Jesus Christ is sacrificed to His Father for the propitiation of our sins – past, present and future. One of the salvific graces flowing from that Sacrifice is our ability to sacramentally commune with God by consuming His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Sadly far too many seem completely focused on receiving Holy Communion – to the point of ignoring the Sacrifice. They enter Mass just before communion. They leave right after communion. I know people who NEVER make it to Mass (and they could) yet they regularly receive communion from EMsHC. It’s almost like they are there to get their ticket punched.

There are reasons we are required to attend Mass some 55+ times/year, while we are required to receive communion at least 1 time/year.

Do you see this in your parishes? What’s the reason for such a mindset?
 
All the time. It’s amazing to see the church half empty 2 minutes before mass, and then quite full a couple of minutes after it starts, and then half empty right after communion. It’s considered rude to leave someones home immediately after just having dinner, why do folks leave the Lord’s supper right after eating ? Long ago, I used to attend mass because I had to. Then, I quit going for more than 10 years. Now I attend mass because I love to and I want to. There are times I go to 2 or 3 masses to usher and I love each and every one. Hearing the same readings doesn’t bother me one bit. I love to hear each priests sermon on he readings, they hardly ever are the same or even similar.
 
wcknight said:
All the time. It’s amazing to see the church half empty 2 minutes before mass, and then quite full a couple of minutes after it starts, and then half empty right after communion. It’s considered rude to leave someones home immediately after just having dinner, why do folks leave the Lord’s supper right after eating ? Long ago, I used to attend mass because I had to. Then, I quit going for more than 10 years. Now I attend mass because I love to and I want to. There are times I go to 2 or 3 masses to usher and I love each and every one. Hearing the same readings doesn’t bother me one bit. I love to hear each priests sermon on he readings, they hardly ever are the same or even similar.
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My experience has been, that the church is half empty as Mass starts, but the line at Communion seems to be never-ending. Of course, we sit about a third of the way back from the front, so we don’t see them all come in late. The wife often whispers “where did all these people come from?”
 
Spiller said:
Sadly far too many seem completely focused on receiving Holy Communion – to the point of ignoring the Sacrifice.
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Is Communion not the “climax” of the Mass?

I agree, all four basic pieces are vital. But is the Consecration, or Reception of the Blessed Sacrement the pinnacle of attending Mass?
 
Gotta love the Catholics…late to show and early to go.

I know some young people, who go to the church, get the bulletin as their “receipt” just so they can show their parents they “went” to church. That way, they can tell a clintonism when the parents went and not lie.

Mom and/or dad: “Did you go to church today?”
Kid: “Yes…”

Paul Harvey’s “The rest of the story”…sure, they went to church…to get the bulletin and leave.

Sad.
 
ethelzguy said:
Is Communion not the “climax” of the Mass?

I agree, all four basic pieces are vital. But is the Consecration, or Reception of the Blessed Sacrement the pinnacle of attending Mass?
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The confection of the Blessed Sacrament is not communion…

I would say the Liturgy of the Eucharist is definitely paramount, but I don’t think one instant is the pinnacle. One (actually two) is certainly the most miraculous (the transformation of bread and wine into the Blessed Sacrament), but I think the entire Mass is the pinnacle…
 
Let us not forget the chance for community building and fellowship with one another that our beautiful mass offers. How many times have we gone to mass and been more enhanced by seeing our fellow brothers and sisters worshipping along with us?
 
We primarily attend Mass to Worship the One, True, Living and Triune God.
 
VietCatholic83 said:
We primarily attend Mass to Worship the One, True, Living and Triune God.
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Yes…the Mass being the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus which He instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until His return in glory, that single act of worship which unfolds in two great parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and which is the source and summit of the Christian life.
 
** Originally Posted by VietCatholic83 View Post
We primarily attend Mass to Worship the One, True, Living and Triune God.
Nope. We primarily attend Mass to be at the crucifixion…**

**I think these are two different aspects of the same Mystery.

However, the “crucifixion” devotional emphasis, so strong in the Middle Ages, is actually said NOWHERE in the actual prayers of the Mass at all. And the Eastern Churches, as a whole, don’t share this devotional emphasis.**
 
bpbasilphx,

I’ve been studying the various theories of sacrifice in regard to The Mass. Do you have any recommendations for books/websites that discuss any medieval views of “being present” at the crucifixion while at Mass?

Thank you kindly!
VC
 
bpbasilphx said:
** Originally Posted by VietCatholic83 View Post
We primarily attend Mass to Worship the One, True, Living and Triune God.
Nope. We primarily attend Mass to be at the crucifixion…**

**I think these are two different aspects of the same Mystery.

However, the “crucifixion” devotional emphasis, so strong in the Middle Ages, is actually said NOWHERE in the actual prayers of the Mass at all. And the Eastern Churches, as a whole, don’t share this devotional emphasis.**
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Are you saying that the term “crucifixion” was used in the prayers of the Mass in the Middle Ages but is no longer used.? :confused:
 
Spiller said:
The primary reason Catholics attend the Mass is to be present at the foot of Calvary as Jesus Christ is sacrificed to His Father for the propitiation of our sins – past, present and future. One of the salvific graces flowing from that Sacrifice is our ability to sacramentally commune with God by consuming His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Sadly far too many seem completely focused on receiving Holy Communion – to the point of ignoring the Sacrifice. They enter *** just before communion. They leave right after communion. I know people who NEVER make it to Mass (and they could) yet they regularly receive communion from EMsHC. It’s almost like they are there to get their ticket punched.

There are reasons we are required to attend Mass some 55+ times/year, while we are required to receive communion at least 1 time/year.

Do you see this in your parishes? What’s the reason for such a mindset?
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You see these things?:eek:

At the Pauline Rite?:eek: :bigyikes:

I mean from everything I’ve seen posted the Pauline Rite is attended only by worshipful focused parishners. They loudly proclaim the responses, belt out the hymns in a resounding voice, follow the Priests intently, pay attention to the Gospel and the Homily and reverently receive Holy Communion. They all actively participate in the liturgy and join in worshipful fellowship.
In short I had been led to believe that those at the Pauline Rite were all educated in the faith, know exactly what is going on at the Altar and actively participate at all times.

Not like in the horrid, uneducated and primitive days of pre-Vatican II.:tsktsk:

Well I guess that coming late and leaving early can be excused as minor glitches. I mean after all these people aren’t doing something really bad, you know like praying their rosaries or something else equally heinous like practicing private devotions of one sort or another. Besides that traffic is probably bad and parking not even available at some of the parishes that claim Mass attendance in the thousands for every Mass.

I say relax, don’t sweat it.🙂 After all, at least the Mass is in someones vernacular, even if its not yours and rosaries are pretty much a thing of the past…👍
 
VietCatholic83 said:
We primarily attend Mass to Worship the One, True, Living and Triune God.
Click to expand...
Yes, we go to Mass to worship God. Worship is what is what we owe to God, not what he owes to us.

And there is no conflict between this true worship, and the sacrifice of Calvary being made present to us. Both are real aspects of the Mass. The canon of the Mass is a prayer to the Father, offering worship through the sacrifice of the Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Listen to whom the prayer is directed. It’s not a performance for us; it’s a prayer to the Father.
 
JimG said:
Yes, we go to Mass to worship God. Worship is what is what we owe to God, not what he owes to us.

And there is no conflict between this true worship, and the sacrifice of Calvary being made present to us. Both are real aspects of the Mass. The canon of the Mass is a prayer to the Father, offering worship through the sacrifice of the Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Listen to whom the prayer is directed. It’s not a performance for us; it’s a prayer to the Father.
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Sacrifice…
 
ethelzguy said:
Is Communion not the “climax” of the Mass?

I agree, all four basic pieces are vital. But is the Consecration, or Reception of the Blessed Sacrement the pinnacle of attending Mass?
Click to expand...
I would actually say the pinnacle of Mass is the offering of the Eucharistic sacrifice to the Father just after the Consecration!
 
Maybe it’s different where I go.

There’s normally a full house. Even if there isn’t, you don’t see people coming late, and few leave early.

And as I think of it, it’s not just where I go. We were at a Mass in an entirely different state while we were on vacation. It was not only a full house, it was standing room only. This was in a very touristy area.

We found out that particular church was built because there are so many tourists. The priest said he gets a full house all the time. (It was quite a large church.) He said only about 2% of the people there were actual parishioners.

It made me proud to be Catholic!
 
We splitting hairs here?
TBH I go to Mass because I have to. Do I need an additional reason?
Though I agree that we should be present for the whole Mass. I try to get there on time and always stay till the end.
 
For me, I go to church because Jesus is there.
And I get to eat Him 😃

Tak
 
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