Last week, there was an attack on a Catholic church in Gaza, which resulted in death and injury. The horrifying event was a reminder that Christians in other parts of the world go to church with the risk of being harmed or even killed. In the US, we not only have the freedom to worship, but we can go to mass without fear of being harmed or attacked. Yet, our churches are missing a lot of people, people who are Catholic, but choose not to come to mass for a variety of reasons. The mass is the highest form of prayer and should be the priority of our week, yet for so many, it is not.
People come up with many excuses to not go to mass. Aside from the legitimate reasons, such as illness, emergency weather, and other reasons along those lines, everything else is just an excuse. Sporting events, being on vacation, not feeling like it, or being bored are just a few of the many excuses people have for not attending mass. And when you look at the fact that people in certain parts of the world are physically risking their lives to worship God, these excuses are quite poor and sad.
The eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. And it is the greatest gift God has given us. Yet, so many Catholics are blind to this reality. If they knew that Jesus was present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, they would be there every week, no excuses. You cannot encounter Jesus Christ Himself and not be changed.
Each of us has a job, and that job is to keep sharing about Jesus in the eucharist and why the mass matters. It is a large task, but one that is vital to our faith and to helping people recognize what the mass is and who is there, waiting for them. My prayer is that each of us would strive to be eucharistic missionaries, sharing about our encounter with Christ and how it is has changed our lives.
Faith and The Good Stuff 