Do I have to Go?

When I went to the Boston Catholic Women's Conference one of the books I picked up was Do I Have to Go? by Matthew Pinto and Chris Stefanick.

I bought it thinking that I will somehow incorporate it into next year's Confirmation Program. It is in a question and answer format all about the Eucharist and Holy Mass. It was very interesting and I even found myself reading about things that I had never thought about.

Many mornings I want to roll over and pull the covers over my head when the alarm goes off (who doesn't?) or else give myself an extra 15 minutes and not go to Mass that morning. After all, daily Mass is not a "requirement" and who would know if I skipped a day or two?

I would.

And of course God would.

And other people around me notice too even if they don't really understand what is different.

On the mornings when I don't attend Mass the rest of the day is all messed up. I am short with people; or feel spiritually empty; and just can't get my act together. I FEEL something missing in my life when I don't go to Mass each day. I don't realize how beneficial to my soul receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is every day until I go a day when I don't receive.

And then I feel guilty for missing because really there is no good reason for not going. Usually it's just because I'm lazy. And then all the other prayers that I pray each day tend not to get prayed or they get prayed quickly. If my morning routine of attending Mass is missed then the rhythm for the rest of the day is all messed up.

This book, written for teenagers, is something every Catholic should read no matter you age, especially if you're having trouble getting to Sunday Mass or viewing it simply as an "obligation" that needs to get done one hour a week. I fall into that "trap" too at times. Taking the Mass for granted; thinking that I go just because I "have" to.

"Do I Have to Go?" reminded me of the awesomness of what takes place each time we meet God in Word and Sacrament at each Mass. How we are united not just to the Church on earth but to the Church in Heaven.

Of course God doesn't want us to go meet Him with a heavy feeling of "obligation". He wants us to deeply want in our hearts to go meet Him sacramentally. But if at first you attend out of the sense of obligation, I can guarentee that after only a few short times of that feeling, Jesus will quietly work in your soul and without anything happening on your part, you will feel His tug on your heart making you WANT to go out of a sense of love rather then one of obligation.