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WOF TV > Video Commentaries
    Current rating: 4.8 (8 ratings)

    Answering the Skeptics - Part 1: Mike Leonard asks questions about the Church





    Practicing the Faith (e.g. going to Mass) is essential to Christian perfection.
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Comments
Al
I do not understand this concept of "practice" for the Mass. The practice should be the prayer, study and devotion of the Christian before he comes to the main event. This is like being invited to a banquet and being rich there are a lot of banquets. The attendee is expected to know how to be civil to the other guests, eat properly, perhaps know some of the attendees and their backgrounds in order to enter into a positive communication, etc. Practice is beforehand not at the banquet. Where is the passion for God??? Skeptics are "neither hot nor cold". What do they expect? Being a Christian is "work"; ask anyone who wants to be a good Christian. The presider does not make the Mass, the community does....this includes everyone in attendance and the "communion of saints".
12/28/2009 3:25:19 PM
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Rob
Actually I agree with Father Barron. A person is praticing the Faith when attending Mass because the "game" is what you do for God and for neighbour when you leave Mass. Attending Mass is a renewal of Spirit and oneness with Christ that culminates with the Eucharist itself.
2/22/2010 9:02:47 PM
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Al
You do have a point. James 1: makes it plain that faith without works is dead. Jesus makes it plain without Me you can do nothing.

This is an appropriate time to determine what the "game" is and to get our "game face" on. Thank you for your comment.

Father, Thy will be done.....
2/24/2010 7:14:35 AM
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Rob
James 1 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible because it expounds upon Paul's message of faith being between God and man, but between man and neighbour that faith must be put to good work. For both the man, as a testament of his faith, and for the neighbour, as a daily example of faith's works.

Thank you for reminding me of James 1. God Bless!
3/4/2010 7:47:35 PM
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JeanCatherine
Mass can be boring to some Im sure but we forget to join our hearts to its meaning.

Christ is there how exciting is this? Very and we must focus on this. Focus Christ in your mind maybe it will get you through this?
9/27/2010 3:49:32 PM
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Al
It is interesting to read my past comments and the new ones. The boring part of the Mass is the same as the boring part of a lecture in which one is not interested or terribly distracted.

If Jesus was standing in front of us as He did prior to the resurrection, would He have difficulty getting our attention? There is so much life that is lived without paying any attention to the important things. God is perfect we are the ones who struggle to maintain our attention. Why is this do you suppose?
9/27/2010 4:40:01 PM
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Paul Groves
Spot on Fr Barron however may I add that whilst we should not expect of ourselves an uplifting experience all the time, we can reasonably expect that if we are determinedly holy, focusing our daily lives on that, each Mass becomes indeed a supernatural experience as Christ uplifts us.
5/11/2011 6:37:00 AM
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Paul Groves
If the focus of your Mass is how *you* "feel" - of course you're going to get bored ! :)
5/11/2011 6:39:32 AM
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Ray
Lots of Catholics are bored for reasons mentioned on the video but also because people focus too much on what they can get from it rather than what they could bring to the mass. The mass is the real thing - a life of Catholic should center and revolve around the mass. In my humble opinion, the "practice" analogy is not appropriate though it might help explain the mass better to ordinary Catholics like me but it is kind of diminish the value of the mass. If the intention is to get entertained or feel good - perhaps mass is not the right place for that. Where I came from the seat is hard and the kneeler doesn't have a cushion because the church is not design to make you physically comfortable. Have you seen a picture of a comfortable Christ?
8/9/2011 2:48:40 PM
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James Brock
Well done.
2/11/2012 2:48:00 AM
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Grace
In recent years I have begun to think of the Mass as a family get-together, Sunday dinner-- pot luck style, if you will. Everyone is invited--open invitation. And each one of us is expected to make a contribution to the occasion. There is some part of it that will appeal to each one of us in a different way. We may not like aunt Helen's hat or Karen's new tattoo. We may think that uncle Steve's discussion on the the recent situation in our town is not exactly convincing, though he did make a good point or two. The head of the family (Jesus) is the person of honor. It goes without saying that we should greet Him first and foremost. The main course is supplied by the head of the family. We are invited to participate in this very special meal--some of us will be starving. Some may need to make excuses to Jesus as to why our appetite, health, etc. is not permitting us to share in the main course. But it should not prevent us from coming to the gathering and enjoying what we can. This will strengthen our family and enable each one of us to find advise, support, encouragement and --yes --even correction. This is what families are for. This is what the Church is for.
6/24/2012 9:42:08 AM
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Paul Groves
Perhaps the comparison is the apostles falling asleep in Gethsemane as Christ stressed out. Would they have slept if they knew as Christ did, what was to follow? Probably not. That is our challenge now, made even harder if the priest is half asleep too! Such circumstances call for greater participation and our 'investment' in the liturgy. Perhaps even adrenalin - join the choir!
6/24/2012 7:11:26 PM
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