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Taylor D. Barrett<\/a> is a Catholic, who commented underneath an article of mine<\/a> on this topic. This is my response. His words will be in blue<\/span>.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Enjoy the blog, <\/span><\/p>\n Thanks!<\/span><\/p>\n but this one always gets me. Coming from a Protestant Evangelical background, the Sunday Obligation just seems to extraordinarily legalistic. Reading St. John Chrysostom\u2019s commentary on Galatians 5 right now, where he comments that Christ profits you nothing if you get circumcised because getting circumcised means you fear the law and do not trust grace, and if you do not trust grace you cannot benefit from it. Now, of course, in context the Law is the Mosaic Law. <\/span><\/p>\n Yes; that is the important thing to note there. We are no longer bound to the entire Mosaic Law. It doesn\u2019t follow, however, that we are bound to no rules or laws or \u201cregulations\u201d at all<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n But I fight the idea that there is a spiritual principle here, that if you\u2019re trying to do some good thing out of fear that you will not be saved if you don\u2019t, then you are not trusting grace. Therefore, doing the good deed of going to Mass on Sunday out of fear that you won\u2019t be saved if you don\u2019t could be seen as a lack of trust in grace, and if that\u2019s the case, then such a posture would make Christ of no effect in our lives. <\/span><\/p>\n I would deny the premise and note that it seems to me that most serious Catholics are not going to Mass every Sunday in abject fear of mortal sin or losing their salvation (i.e., as their primary or main reason), but rather, because they love<\/em> it; they want<\/em> to go, and understand the joy and necessity of regular assembly with other believers and receiving Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, which gives us all sort of power and sustenance to face the trials and challenges of life.<\/span><\/p>\n I agree that if a person is only<\/em> going because it\u2019s required<\/em>, out of some foolish sense of legalism-only, that it would be improper and\u00a0 blameworthy, and would definitely be indicative of a dim understanding of what the Catholic Christian life is about. On the other hand, they deserve credit for at least going<\/em> in the first place, rather than not<\/em> going at all. More on that below . . .\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now, I realize the response to this is probably that we must avoid sin out of fear we will not be saved, and therefore, there is not some general principle about not doing things out of fear we won\u2019t be saved. But it seems to me there is a difference between avoiding doing evil in order to remain in grace and thinking one must do good in order to be saved. I guess the only response would be that in the case of circumcision, the Law has been fulfilled and is not a requirement, so therefore, trying to obey it is a contradiction of the Gospel which fulfilled it\u2026. while, in regards the Sunday obligation, to miss without reason would be to deliberately forsake an opportunity for communion with Christ, which could definitely be seen as an evil action: although I would probably classify it more as foolish and\/or lazy rather than evil\/sinful . <\/span><\/p>\n Though some would probably question if there is any difference between those categories, I think there is some difference between neglecting what\u2019s good and deliberately doing what\u2019s evil. At least, a degree of difference. Anyways, I am trying to fully embrace the grace of God and trust in Him completely for the free gift of mercy and salvation that comes to us through faith, but these \u201chang-ups\u201d seem to get in the way. Or maybe I am just deceived on the issue and there is absolutely nothing contradictory about believing in the Sunday obligation as a potential mortal sin and completely trusting in the free gift of grace for salvation. May Christ help me. Amen.<\/span><\/p>\n I think you are hitting upon the main point at the end:<\/span> \u201cthere is absolutely nothing contradictory about believing in the Sunday obligation as a potential mortal sin and completely trusting in the free gift of grace for salvation.\u201d That\u2019s a true statement.<\/span> We can all fall into legalism (or the opposite error of license and antinomianism): being human and sinful. But as we advance in the Christian life we have to progress beyond that.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I think you\u2019re approaching it in the wrong way; from a flawed perspective. The Mass obligation is not about rules, but about \u201cspiritual normalcy\u201d or \u201cspiritual bare minimum obligations.\u201d The Christian needs to worship with fellow believers, as a good and helpful thing:<\/span><\/p>\n Hebrews 10:24-25 <\/strong>(RSV)\u00a0<\/strong>and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,\u00a0[25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (\u201cclassic\u201d KJV rendering: \u201cNot forsaking the assembling of ourselves together\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 20:7<\/strong>\u00a0On the\u00a0<\/b>first day\u00a0of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread,\u00a0 . . .\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 12:12\u00a0<\/strong>When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were\u00a0<\/b>gathered\u00a0together and were praying.<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 13:44<\/strong>\u00a0The next sabbath almost the whole city\u00a0<\/b>gathered\u00a0together to hear the word of God.<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 14:27\u00a0<\/strong>And when they arrived, they\u00a0<\/b>gathered\u00a0the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (cf. 15:6, 30)<\/span><\/p>\n Psalm 102:22<\/strong>\u00a0when peoples gather together,\u00a0and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s fundamental to Christianity (and its precursor, Judaism) to gather together to worship the Lord, and to engage in liturgy, rite, and ritual. It\u2019s plain in Scripture that this is a good and worthy and spiritually helpful thing.<\/span><\/p>\n All the Church is saying is that it is so important that it should be made obligatory for the Catholic who has voluntarily submitted to the authority of the Church. We make things mandatory because of their importance. If you want to get married, you have to do it the proper way, by the rules, and in front of the Church community. You don\u2019t just run off and proclaim yourselves married, because the traditional ritual is supposedly \u201clegalistic\u201d and implies a mere fear of losing salvation if someone doesn\u2019t do it. <\/span><\/p>\n No! We do it the right way because that\u2019s how the Church has determined that it ought<\/em> to be done. No one is going through a wedding ceremony thinking that they would be guilty of mortal sin if they hadn\u2019t<\/em> done it (in this case, fornication); rather, they are joyfully experiencing it, in all its glorious meaning and significance. It\u2019s the same with the Mass. <\/span><\/p>\n Those who are spiritually weak and in an elementary stage of learning may think it is a drudgery to drag themselves out of bed every Sunday to attend because, well, they \u201chave\u201d to. Those who have advanced and understand the faith beyond a primitive stage will joyfully, voluntarily do it.<\/span><\/p>\n But the law and the obligation is there for those who are weak<\/em>, because human nature requires rules before it can properly understand a willing and voluntary spirit, because something is good to do. That\u2019s why we have lots of rules for children, because they are too young to make wise choices. The older they get, the less rules are necessary, or else they \u201cself-supervise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It seems to me that you may be struggling with<\/span> scrupulosity<\/a>. Just a hunch . . . but if not, that does account for many struggles among those who have that tendency: with the whole aspect of \u201clegalism\u201d and rules and commitments, etc.: wondering whether we are condemned and whether God is constantly \u201cafter\u201d us. That\u2019s not how biblical or Catholic faith works. It\u2019s simply one particular psychological outlook that brings about such anxiety, rather than the essence of how rules and laws function in a religious context.<\/span><\/p>\n The following related remarks of mine were written in January 2008. They were in response to the comments of a Protestant seriously considering Catholicism. First I had written:<\/span><\/p>\n Like many Catholic things, this is widely misunderstood as yet another legalistic burden, whereas Church attendance ought to be seen as a privilege and joy, and as an extension of the OT Sabbath principle.<\/span><\/p>\n I think it\u2019s one of those things that Protestants object to that show they have too much time on their hands, along with. e.g., crucifixes: \u201cthose goofy Catholics are meditating on Jesus\u00a0dying<\/i>\u00a0for us???!!! We can\u2019t have\u00a0that<\/i>!\u201d Carping on and on about compulsory church attendance seems to me to be another huge non-issue.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n This person took issue with my characterization and stated that legalism was indeed a serious problem to address and that \u201cthere is a difference between doing something because we are told and doing something because it\u2019s a response of love \u201d and \u201cmy response to the Mass is first an act of love and faith. If it\u2019s simply an obligation, then my heart has not found it\u2019s hope. It is a ritual with no meaning other than a symbol.\u201d I replied in turn:<\/span><\/p>\n I agree with virtually all of what you wrote.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The thing I would note in this regard is that not all Christians, by a long shot, are motivated out of sheer love for the Lord and desire to please Him and to lead a saintly life. In fact, I would argue that this lamentable deficiency is true most of the time for\u00a0everyone<\/i>, no matter how pious or devout. We tend to \u201ccoast\u201d in our spiritual life and not to make a positive effort to be all that we can be, so to speak.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Church in her wisdom, recognizes this, and so makes something compulsory, lest this tendency to laxity cause many to not attend church. Is that a good thing all in all or a bad one? Is it a \u201cnet gain\u201d?\u00a0Of course<\/i>\u00a0it is good. It\u2019s better to have someone be\u00a0in<\/i>\u00a0Church, even though they are not perfectly motivated from the heart and soul, than\u00a0not<\/i>\u00a0to be there, and sitting at home watching the Sunday morning news shows.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s another \u201cboth\/and\u201d scenario: I don\u2019t have to disagree with you about the ideals of the Christian life: wholehearted service to God and completely pure motivation: doing everything for the right reasons, by God\u2019s grace. I also don\u2019t have to quibble with the Church\u2019s wisdom in requiring church attendance, for the sake of those Christians who are merely \u201ccoasting\u201d in their spiritual life, going through the motions without much heart or interior motivation.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Both are good. We all should strive for the ideal, and pray for God\u2019s grace to achieve it, but we should also be glad that many a Joe Q. Catholic is in the pews even though he is there because he\u00a0has<\/i>\u00a0to be there, not because he\u00a0wants<\/i>\u00a0to be. God in His mercy accepts millions of His followers (at the \u201cspiritual milk\u201d stage) as they are, warts and all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Related reading:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Why Is It a Mortal sin to Miss Mass?<\/a>\u00a0(Fr. Ray Ryland,\u00a0This Rock<\/em>, July 2000)<\/p>\n Forget Mass? Not a Mortal Sin<\/a>\u00a0(Karl Keating,\u00a0This Rock<\/em>, Nov. 2003)<\/p>\n FAQ About Sunday Obligation: Not Going to Mass<\/a>\u00a0(Catholic Doors Ministries<\/em>)<\/p>\n Sunday Obligation<\/a>\u00a0(Jimmy Akin)<\/p>\n Fulfilling the Sunday Obligation on Saturday<\/a>\u00a0[+\u00a0Part Two<\/a>]\u00a0(Jimmy Akin)<\/p>\n