Why do you attend Mass?

  • Thread starter Thread starter simpleas
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
CatholicRaven said:
Most weeks, it’s because I want to go and worship God, and to receive Him.
There are some weeks though, I’m sorry to say, it’s only out of obedience because I just don’t want to sin and have to go to Confession 😊… but I always feel better after I get there and Mass begins.
Click to expand...
Here too.

But, honestly, sometimes, I don’t feel better after I get there. Sometimes I am there, for the entire hour, out of obligation.
 
I need to go so I can get through another week. I receive inspiration and courage from others around me. I go so I can see God in my everyday life. I go because I learn to recognize God there.
 
Bottom line: because my Creator wants me to.

And because it provides an opportunity to give Him thanks and worship, and meet with my local worshipping community, and raise the moral consciousness of the neighbourhood, lend a sympathetic ear to the troubled, catch up on the -]gossip/-] neighbourhood news, sing praise to God, hear the teachings, and all like that.
 
Because it’s God’s way of allowing Himself to truly touch me in a very intimate way.
 
For the miracles. The conversion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was St. Augustine who said that “I wouldn’t be a Catholic but for the miracles.”
 
simpleas said:
There may be various reasons and I’m curious to know posters ‘Top’ reason.

Thank you for sharing your reason.
Click to expand...
For a long time it was just because I was supposed to, but now, to some it up, I would say that Mass is the main way Jesus speaks to me, through the readings, prayers, homily, Eucharist, music and more. I have a long way to go, but at least the Mass reminds me of where I am and where I need to be.
 
maryjk said:
Here too.

But, honestly, sometimes, I don’t feel better after I get there. Sometimes I am there, for the entire hour, out of obligation.
Click to expand...
And that’s okay, believe or not. 🙂 The very fact that it doesn’t always “do anything” for you means that it pleases God that you make the effort anyway. It’s like the parable of the two brothers who were asked by their father to work in the fields. One brother said no, but went to work as his father had asked. The other said yes, but didn’t go. Jesus asked who pleased the father more? Of course, it was the son who did as his father had asked. We cannot rely on our feelings to tell us what we ought to do, but often we are asked to do things we’d rather not but ought to do, anyway. If we are faithful, even when we don’t feel like it, God is very pleased with us. So don’t get down on yourself over how you feel/don’t feel when attending obligatory Masses–even if we go grudgingly (not that you are), we have been obedient, and obedience means accepting God’s will in humility and humility is the door to loving God and others with sacrificial love. It’s a step forward to go when you don’t get anything out of it, not a step backwards. 🙂
 
Attending Mass is all about God, to worship God as we are supposed to. It is not about us.
Whether we “feel” something or not, whether we “get” something or not is secondary. The primary purpose is to worship and pay homage to God and keep the Sabbath Day holy. If our focus is on God, not on our “self”, we will always be joyful and grateful to attend Sunday Mass.
 
You all have posted wonderful replies!

I attend Mass for lots of reasons, but I just love seeing Jesus.

Last summer, my wife and I purchased tickets to go see Paul McCartney. For one reason or another, we decided to give those tickets to a dear lady and her husband instead. The evening of the concert, I was sitting in line for Confession, and I was looking at the Monstrance that was displaying the Blessed Sacrament.

I mean seriously … as cool as Paul McCartney is, this is Jesus hidden in the most glorious miracle on earth. And we can go see Him whenever we want, and we can be there to say hello to Him when He comes down to us at the consecration.

A dear priest once said, “You know, at every Mass, on every altar in the world, a miracle occurs: God the Son comes from heaven at the words of His priest in order to commune with you and with me. But what do you people ask me about after Mass? ‘Father, when are you going to sort out the parking lot?’ Can I ask you a question? What’s your problem?”
 
I usually look forward to Mass every week, but last week I did not enjoy it as much as usual for a variety of reasons…for the first time since I’ve been attending regularly I did feel like going this week. I was exhausted and felt like vegging at home. Luckily I made myself go and it was one of the best Masses I’ve experienced. :rolleyes:
I’m lucky to live in walking distance of a beautiful, well attended, welcoming church…
that said I love taking Holy Communion, praying, the atmosphere, singing hymns, and being in a beautiful old building with a holy presence.
 
I go to mass every day because I believe that God wants it of me.

Some days it is out of obedience. Some days it is out of love. Some days it is because it is part of my daily schedule and a little alarm goes off in my head saying “mass time”. Some days it is because I know that I need God desperately. Some days because I really like the music/homilist/readings/saint of the day, etc.
 
Honestly, because it’s a mortal sin not to go. Between the stupid music, pointless homilies, repetitive prayers, loud personal conversations, screaming babies, kids running around, etc, I’m usually so irritated at Mass that I feel like I have something to offer up. Masses are pretty much protestant services only not as “fun”. Yes, I receive the Eucharist and I “know” it’s the full body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, but for all intents and purposes, it seems to have as big of an impact as if it were just a cracker.
 
Bataar said:
Honestly, because it’s a mortal sin not to go. Between the stupid music, pointless homilies, repetitive prayers, loud personal conversations, screaming babies, kids running around, etc, I’m usually so irritated at Mass that I feel like I have something to offer up. Masses are pretty much protestant services only not as “fun”. Yes, I receive the Eucharist and I “know” it’s the full body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, but for all intents and purposes, it seems to have as big of an impact as if it were just a cracker.
Click to expand...
You need to be at Mass each week. But in all honesty, if that particular Mass you attend is causing you problems there is nothing wrong with attending a different Mass. An earlier service (or a later one) for instance may not have screaming kids running around. Different parishes may have different musical tastes.
 
Bataar said:
Honestly, because it’s a mortal sin not to go. Between the stupid music, pointless homilies, repetitive prayers, loud personal conversations, screaming babies, kids running around, etc, I’m usually so irritated at Mass that I feel like I have something to offer up. Masses are pretty much protestant services only not as “fun”. Yes, I receive the Eucharist and I “know” it’s the full body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, but for all intents and purposes, it seems to have as big of an impact as if it were just a cracker.
Click to expand...
As peter26 suggested, if you find the Mass at your parish so distracting you may wish to find another Mass, perhaps even another parish to fulfill your Mass obligations.

We’d all like to attend the perfectly conducted Mass, but not all of us are fortunate enough to find it/have it available, if that’s even possible. Babies will cry, kids will act up, music can be badly done/inappropriate, people may talk at Mass, etc. as you cited. Even my parish which is about as orthodox and reverent as they come sometimes has these things problems. So what? If you expect to experience heaven on earth, communing with perfect people who behave just as you like, you’ll be disappointed. 😉

Being with other humans can be messy, loud, embarrassing, etc. because we are all fallen creatures, each of whom is on his own faith journey with some far ahead and others lagging far behind. This is the Church on earth. If you think of Mass as an emergency room for souls and less like a re-creation of heaven, it might bother you less. Jesus calls all to him, not just those disposed to worship correctly or understand the meaning of Mass.

As for you citing “repetitive prayers” as a problem, well, that’s something else entirely. That isn’t anyone else’s difficulty but yours only. You may want to research the Mass prayers and why they are prayed. Also, reading the daily Mass readings may be helpful to you. This part of your complaint is all up to you to remedy. It’s perfectly possible to correct your impression that the prayers are merely repetitive–they aren’t, you know–if you want to. You simply aren’t really hearing them or understanding them, IMHO.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top