Sunday Obligation? A reed shaken by the wind?

A few years ago, I made a truly inspiring weekend retreat. At the end of the retreat, unbeknownst to me, my wife was there for one of the final ceremonies. I remember seeing her there, and I was surprised, excited, and anxious to tell her all about the last few days. One of the guys told leaned over and whispered in her ear, “He seems to have eyes only for you.” It was true. After all that time, I was still smitten with her and still am today.  My heart longs for her and my day is not complete without her.

I tell you this story because our Bishop has reinstated our obligation to attend Mass on Sundays. On the surface, they seem to have very little to do with each other. In reality, though, I feel it’s an example of exactly why this is one of the Church’s precepts and why it has been the discipline of Catholics since the beginning of the Church.

There is this line in scripture that captures it in a concise way for me. Jesus talking about John the Baptist, says: “What did you go into the desert to see?” He invokes in their mind a question that we should be asking ourselves right now. “Why do we go to Mass?” or “What/who did you come to Mass to see?” After all, if what we Catholics believe about the Eucharist is true, shouldn’t the fullness of our being be focused on Him?

There is a lot of focus in the world today on external feelings and emotions. Some people focus on the music, others on how well the sermon is preached or how clearly (complaints about accents and volume abound.) Others talk about the distractions of the children or the lack of programs and after church activities. What did you come to see? If it’s not Jesus, we are doing it wrong.

Our hearts should long to be united with Him, to hold Him with the arms of our soul as we receive Him in that Sacred Host. To adore Him with our eyes and our voices, lifting in song the sacred words of scripture, calling out hallelujah to the King of the Universe who comes to live in us. Does your heart not call out with emptiness in this world? With a dryness that nothing can seem to fill for very long?

That is why we have an obligation for Sundays. Remember, the obligation is a precept of the Church. The five precepts are the bare minimum to show we are in a relationship with God. But no one wants the bare minimum, do they? Do you want a spouse or fiance who puts in the least amount of effort they can when it comes to your love? Of course not. That’s why I try not to think of it as a bare minimum at all or even an obligation.

Rather I think of it in these terms: If Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist, body and blood, soul and divinity, and I don’t want to be there on Sunday to worship the God of the universe who died because of my sins? Then something is wrong with my heart. If the eyes of my heart aren’t longing to be in His presence, to see Him and speak with Him and tell Him all about my week? Can I truly then say I love Him? That I am His disciple, a member of His Church, the Bride of Christ?

He died for me… the least I can do is spend an hour once a week in worship and thanksgiving. But again.. .who wants to stop at the bare minimum?

Click here to see the Bishop of the Diocese of Rockford’s letter reinstating the Obligation.