Day 9: The Faithful

"Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary... let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water... We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another..." (Heb. 10: 19, 25)

The most common complaint from people about the Church is that their parish priest is boring, or the sermons aren't uplifting, or that the music is bad, or that the you could roll a bowling ball down the middle isle and no one would notice!

The second commentary is that St. Otherchurch is BETTER. Better music, better youth group, better priests, better ____....

The fact of the matter is that the parish is as good as the folks that fill the pews! If the people come with a vibrant and overwhelming desire to come to know the Lord and to commune with Him and their neigbor, that will take place because the people themselves want it. I have presided at Holy Mass in parishes that do not respond! They don't sing, they don't say the parts that correspond to them, they hardly seem that they are praying at all.

The Holy Mass is not the place nor time to pray our Rosaries, etc... which should be prayed, but later!

THE HOLY MASS IS NOT A PRIVATE DEVOTION like the Holy Rosary is. IT IS THE COMMUNAL PRAYER OF THE WHOLE CHURCH. Therefore when we are present at our parish Church, we need to make every effort to "Get into it!" and participate. The Church is asking this of us. Our job is to respond.

A serious mistake is made if we approach the altar without a desire to participate. Could you imagine (and I know you've seen it) a priest, seemingly bored with the mystery, tired and distant while saying Mass?

What do you think of him? How do you think you look at Holy Mass?

Psalm 43:4 "That I may come to the altar of God, to God, my joy, my delight. Then I will praise you, O God, my God."