Why do we go to Mass every Sunday?

 

In every celebration of the Holy Mass, we gather to hear the words of God and express our faith in Jesus. For us, Catholics, this is our way of giving thanks to God for the gift of life and all the blessings we receive every day of our life. 

 

This is also another chance for us to kneel and converse with God. When in great problem, we lie prostrated to voice out lamentations for the troubles in life we always encounter. 

 

However, in the year 2020, a pandemic (covid-19) struck the whole world and killed millions of people. To keep safe from the deadly virus, everyone was compelled to be in isolation--no physical contact even to family and friends who caught the virus. That was a harsh situation, physically and mentally. 

 

To add more anguish to that suffering, church doors were closed, and we were deprived of the comfort of solitude while listening to God’s voice inside the adoration chapel. Even just kneeling on church pews in times of trials became forbidden.  

 

However, God is good all the time and nothing is impossible with Him. To console and reach out to us followers of Jesus, the online mass was introduced via social media. It was indeed a big relief from that agony. We experienced the convenience of sitting on a couche facing the digital television screen and listening to the words of God from readers and the good news from the priests’ homilies. 

 

For over a year, we patiently watched online masses without receiving the Holy Communion and patiently prayed the Spiritual Communion as instructed, believing that this can replace physically receiving the Bread of Life. 

 

Somehow, attending online masses was convenient because we did not have to get up early, prepare properly, then travel or walk a long way to church. 

 

What’s more amazing was the conveniences of choosing times and parish churches from different parts of the world and experiencing the differences in how various priests officiate the Holy Eucharist. 

 

We even felt satisfied just sitting in front of the television set to attend the Holy Mass. Then a not-so-good habit developed in us—having a cup of coffee while the priest was expressing his homily. 

 

Fortunately, when the pandemic became under control the church doors were opened again with conditions of wearing a facial mask to keep safe or staying home when not feeling well. 

 

Those orders from the church gave us the complacency to choose to attend or not to attend the Sunday mass. We thought that reciting the Spiritual Communion was enough to fulfill our desire to get united with Jesus. 

 

Thank God, we were enlightened by online priests’ words, persuading us to attend the Sunday mass and physically receive the body and blood of Jesus. Once again, our yearning to be united with Jesus gave us the courage to face the challenges and bear the consequences of walking the right path to reach out to God hoping not to be hungry nor thirsty forever.