I've had a very similar conversation with several different people at multiple parish assignments.
The same person will ask two questions maybe a few days or weeks or months apart:
1) "Father, why do you talk about missing Mass and mortal sin? It's so off-putting and mean."
and then, at some other point:
2) "Father, why have my kids stopped going to Mass?"
Hello!
If no one tells the next generation that going to Mass is SERIOUSLY important, and that their salvation is on the line, then why would they go?
Canon Law, 1247: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass."
The Catechism, 2180: "The faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants)...Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin."
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
It's the vicious cycle of Sloth: Modern liturgy tends to dumb-down and trivialize the Faith in an effort to avoid offending anyone and, not surprisingly, people start wondering why they should take Sunday obligation seriously.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can preach it enough.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
Listened to a free CD about the Mass by Fr. Larry Richards. You know how if you're in a city and you see someone on the sidewalk looking up at the sky, you start to look up at the sky thinking "what's so interesting?"
ReplyDeleteHe SOOOOO loves the Mass....makes you look at the Mass and thing "what's so wonderful?" If a priest talks about that during a homily...a particular point per homily rather than a whole dissertation in one per year....you will see even older idiots like me "staring" later. Weekly Eucharistic Adoration makes me stare at the Eucharist more...and intimately talk to Him during the consecration, which may not be kosher, may even tick Him off because of course a miracle is happening and I'm yaking, but I'm just so used to it! Fr. Larry wishes he had what I have at two parishes nearby....Perpetual Adoration! Can I be cocky about that, because it's not thanks to me, only God?