By JOE SIXPACK
Emperor Diocletian launched the bloodiest, most cruel persecution of all the emperors against the early Church. Indeed, he used Christian bodies dipped in tar and tied to stakes to light the streets of Rome at night. So the cruelty of his soldiers was a natural extension of his own cruelty.
One day a virgin named Anysia was going to participate in the Mass, when one of Diocletian’s soldiers stopped her along the way. “Stop!” he shouted, “Where are you going?”
Anysia was terrified. She made the sign of the cross and replied, “I’m a servant of Christ and I’m going to our assembly to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.”
“I’ll see that you don’t,” said the soldier, “and I’ll take you to sacrifice to the gods.”
The soldier tried to snatch away her veil, and when Anysia tried to prevent him, the soldier was enraged. He drew his sword and plunged it into her heart. The young virgin fell, a martyr to the Sunday observance.
I love the stories of the martyrs, because they usually cause me to reflect on my own level of commitment to Christ and His holy Church. From time to time I find myself wishing I could skip Mass and go fishing, or build something out in the shop. And I’ll find myself hoping Father’s homily won’t be too long, because I don’t want to miss a minute in the boat or shop. Then I read a story like Anysia’s and feel so terribly ashamed of myself.
The Third Commandment is: Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. “The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: ‘On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.’ The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2180). This Commandment also obliges us to avoid any activities which hinder the renewal of body and soul.
Unless excused for a very good reason, failure to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation is a mortal sin. The Mass is the highest form of worship of God, as it is the perpetuation of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice on the cross. As St. John Chrysostom wrote: “You cannot pray at home as at church, where there is a great multitude, where exclamations are cried out to God as from one great heart, and where there is something more: the union of minds, the accord of souls, the bond of charity, the prayers of the priests” (De Incomprehensibili).
In order to fulfill our Sunday and holy days of obligation, we must be physically present at the Mass. Televised Masses, although a consolation to the homebound who are unable to attend Mass, are not acceptable as a means of fulfilling our obligation. Staying at home to watch Mass on EWTN doesn’t cut it. Furthermore, to miss a notable part of the Mass — that is, to arrive late or to leave before the final blessing — prevents us from fulfilling our obligation, which is seriously sinful.
It’s of grave concern when people arrive late and leave early at Mass. I’m talking about those who chronically arrive late and leave early. Some folks say that they have trouble getting the kids organized and in the car to get to church on time. If this applies to you, the obvious answer is to get everyone going a bit earlier. After all, how can you expect your children to learn responsibility if you chronically fail in your responsibility to be at Mass on time?
Another thing we see all the time is people who leave immediately after receiving Communion. Friends, the Mass isn’t over until the priest gives the final blessing. Leaving after Communion means you not only fail to meet your Sunday or holy day obligation, but you add the additional mortal sin of sacrilege in receiving Communion if you planned to leave early in the first place.
Regarding vigil Masses on the evening before a Sunday or holy day of obligation, there is something to consider here too. You most certainly enjoy the privilege to attend a vigil Mass, and you definitely fulfill your obligation by doing so, but it’s important to understand why the Church began to allow this after Vatican II. The Council Fathers understood the changes taking place in society, and they wanted to make it easier for the faithful to be able to fulfill our obligations. The intention of the Fathers was to keep Catholics from being guilty when they had to work in order to support their families and avoid being fired, or for cases of family hardships.
It’s an abuse of this privilege of attending vigil Masses to fulfill our obligation if we attend the vigil just because we want to go on a family outing, go fishing, or simply sleep in or not be bothered with taking time from our Sunday. There’s nothing sinful involved here, but a conscientious Catholic should want to please Christ all he can. At times our choices aren’t merely between good and evil; sometimes the choices are between good and better. Sunday and holy day attendance is the better choice.
Sundays and holy days of obligation are obligatory days of rest. We’re to “abstain from those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body” (Universal Code of Canon Law, 1247). This means we must refrain from unnecessary servile works on Sundays and holy days. The key word there is “unnecessary.” “Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2186).
If you have a question or comment you can reach out to me through the “Ask Joe” page of JoeSixpackAnswers.com, or you can email me at Joe@CantankerousCatholic.com.
Hey, how would you like to see things like this article every week in your parish bulletin as an insert? You or your pastor can learn more about how to do that by emailing me at Joe@CantankerousCatholic.com.
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