The short answer: Yes. (CCC 2041-2042)
And not only are we required to go, but it is considered a grave matter of sin if we do not go (and otherwise reasonably could have gone).
From the beginning, the Church has always seen this as the primary (and bare minimum) fulfillment of the 3rd commandment: Keep holy the sabbath day (the Christian Sabbath being The Lord’s Day).
Many will read the 3rd commandment out of context and in today’s present culture and interpret for themselves that it simply means to make sure and do holy things on Sunday. Not only does this not make a lot of sense, it is not the way that the apostles interpreted it either.
God commands us to be holy everyday – not just on the sabbath. And it would be a pretty useless commandment if it actually meant to just be extra holy on Sunday.
We are also to refrain from doing unnecessary work on Sunday, but not just so we can relax and play golf, lay by the pool or bake cookies. It is to free us up to fulfill another more important and sacred obligation.
In the full Christian sense, “keeping the sabbath holy” is to actually participate in the most fundamental of Christian celebrations – the mass.
CCC 2181:
“The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason 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) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.”
(FYI – Every Sunday is a “day of obligation”)
So it’s important. And this is not up for interpretation, as some Catholics might argue. If you are Catholic, you are obliged to go to mass every Sunday – not just Sundays where you wake up early enough, it’s convenient, or you are in town visiting mom and dad.
And there’s a special obligation for parents to take their kids and any other dependents under their care.
There’s no question that a lot of Catholics don’t attend mass as they should. I suppose it is partially because they are unaware that it’s a requirement, but I think the heart of the problem is that most Catholics take for granted what happens at the mass. I know I often do.
But then I think about what happens at each and every mass. And I realize that this is the most deliberately specific thing that Jesus gave Christians to do after he left (”Do this in memory of me”). And I contemplate that we truly, physically receive the body and blood of Christ – of God Himself – at every Mass. And I consider that communion with God is the ultimate goal of my life.
Then I can’t wait to go. Attending mass is not just an obligation, it’s a privilege! It’s a gift.
This is not a rule the Church makes for rules’ sake. It makes it for our sake. And it recognizes it as a grave sin because it is just that important to each one of our lives (i.e. really important).
“Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.” – John 6:54
Ultimately, Mass should be one of (if not the) highlight of our week. We should look forward to it. We should want to go. And when we don’t, it’s a reminder that we need to work harder to more fully understand the reality of what happens at Mass. It’s human and natural to forget, get lazy, take it for granted, or become numb to it, but we have to continually work to overcome that trap. For we are being offered the greatest gift God has to offer – the source and summit of our Faith, Jesus Christ Himself.
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You cannot be truly Catholic and only believe what you want to believe (a.k.a, Cafateria Catholic). By doing so, you are being a Protestant (Protest-ant).
As inconvenient as some teachings may be they must be followed completely. Following Christ was never said to be easy.
We want to follow Him, but in our terms. This of course is the reason there are over 30,000 Protestant denominations today.
That said, YES…ABSOLUTELY, I think we should attend Mass every weekend.
It amazes me that I know adult Catholics who honestly had no idea that missing mass on days of obligation (including Sunday, of course) was a grave sin (i.e. mortal!).
Thanks for the great post, as usual. You’re really good at this!
Manya
I love going to mass! I grew up Lutheran and accepted the fullness of faith in 2001. Receiving the eucharist is especially humbling knowing that this gift comes directly from Christ by way of apostolic succession. Each week I am directly connected to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Great post! I believe its better appologeticly to focus on Mass being an obligation from the perspective of “skipping it” is a sin against the 1st commandment, and not the 3rd. The Sabbath still is the Saturday holy day of our jewish forefathers in the faith, nothing in salvation history changed that. The 3rd commandment is a not a moral law that exists on its own “feet” so to say. It prefigures the Christian celebration and sacrafice of the paschal mystery in the Sunday Mass, but the Sabbath is not one in the same with the Sunday Mass, the Highest form of Prayer for the Christian (in union with Rome).
Technically, Christians are not obligated to keep the 3rd commandment, just as they are not obligated to circumcize or have a cosher diet. All of these “laws” are superseded but the “new commandment”. The other nine commandments are all moral commandments and we are obligated to observe them because of the moral conscequences if we fail to observe them.
I’m not an authority on the matter, just a regular Joe in the pew, I might have it wrong, but I don’t think so. Reseach it yourself. . . the journey will benefit us all either way.
Good thoughts, Jeremy! You are right…it did benefit me cuz I had to go look it up to be sure! I think we are both right here actually.
The Church sees ALL 10 commandments as fundamentally immutable. That is, the fundamental meaning behind the 3rd commandment is still binding – and that’s basically to meet on “a” sabbath once a week to worship, etc. The ceremonial aspect of that did change though…from occurring on Saturday to occurring on Sunday in the new covenant. So the specific Jewish practice of it went the way of circumcision, but the underlying commandment was renewed with a NEW sabbath…the Lord’s Day, Sunday.
These links helped me out:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Sabbath_or_Sunday.asp and
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2006/0605btb.asp
You make a good point though about what makes missing mass a “sin”…and actually what makes it a grave matter of sin. And that’s that by skipping mass and putting something else up as more important than Sunday Eucharist, it is one of the most direct, clear, and simple ways a person turns their back on God, hence separating themselves (sin).
I’m a bit surprised at the people that voted that they “don’t have to follow it as a Catholic.” I would be interested in why they think so and what they base that on? If any of them feel like sharing at all?
Thanks everyone!
“And there’s a special obligation for parents to take their kids and any other dependents under their care.”
Sigh. i wish more people in the pews understood and supported this. I have two young children, one with extreme hyperactivity, and it would be nice to see smiles celebrating that I am making the effort to bring Him to Mass instead of comments like, “we have a cry room.” Even the priests we have had stare at noisy kids form the pulpit. if we were all following our faith fully, the church would be jammed with kids and my kids noise wouldn’t stick out at all. To anyone who reads this, please just smile at us hasseled parents and let us know you appreciate our children. My 5 yeear old hyperactive son is adamant that he is going to be a priest. Everyone at Mass should be encouraging and fostering kids being present. =)
Amen, Patricia! The problem with a cry room is that the kids don’t learn to behave. Too many parishes think of our kids a secondary, neglecting their place in the mass as well as their catechesis. It is easy to see why we lose so many kids to Protestant churches whose services are like a rock concert with a motivational speaker.
I love attending holy mass everyday not Sunday only.