WHY I GO TO CHURCH
Many people tell me they believe in God but do not feel the
need to go to church. I hear excuses
like
- “God is everywhere; I don’t have to go to church to be with Him.”
- “All they are after is money!”
- “I live a good life; I do all the right things, why should I need to go?”
- “I don’t feel welcome.”
Let’s examine excuse #1.
Considering, God is our Father, here’s how I feel. As a parent, I have a son who has not
visited, not contacted me in over 1 ½ years.
I am heartbroken. This must be
similar to how God feels when we do not visit His House. I could not agree more
that God Is everywhere, yet I don’t see how this is a valid excuse for not
going to Church. If we are baptized in
His name, we have an obligation to abide by His rules.
Excuse # 2. Yes, they
ask for tithes and for good reasons. The
Church community must be maintained, just as our own homes require upkeep. Churches help support the many agencies that
care for the needy and poor. I am on a
fixed income and can’t give but a fraction of what many parishioners give, yet
I do my part.
Excuse # 3. First of
all, you are not doing all the right things if you can justify not going to
church. The love of God does require
something back from you. “If you wish to
follow me, pick up your cross and come.”
If you really have faith, then you should pay your due share. Feed the hungry. Visit the sick. Clothe the needy. Pray for those in need. Remember those before us, who gave their
lives for our religious freedom. By
staying home, within your domestic church, you will not be strengthened and
replenished as you would if you go to the community church. We are weak sinners and must be fed and
forgiven continuously. If you believe
that you never sin, then you make God out to be a liar.
Excuse # 4. This
one’s really a very bad excuse. I was
attending a church and it was about to be sold and closed. I thought to myself, I will go to a new
church. I picked a new one and began to
go daily at 12:10 PM. About a month
after I was going each day, one day, a man came up to me before Mass and said
“The priest wants to see you; He’s over
there. I got up and made my way to him. He ushered me into a hallway for privacy and
said “ Some of the parishioners are concerned about your whiskers in the wine
cup.” He seemed uncomfortable and a bit
embarrassed. I laughed and said “Oh
dear!” He asked me if I would mind
coming up to communion last. I had a
real chance to feel not welcome. My
response was “Of course I don’t mind. I’ve been coming here for the last month for
this time slot fits nicely into my day.”
He seemed relieved and I continued to attend that Mass daily. I know that the elderly man who told me that
the priest wanted to see me, was the one complaining about my beard. That was over three years ago. Since then, that man and I have been
friends. Since then, I have been going
to the early Mass at 0630. Since then,
that same priest who asked me to go up to communion last, asked my wife and I
if we would consider joining the pre-Cana team and give our testimony to the
couples about to be wed. We give our
talk, twice a year, spring and fall. It
is rewarding to us and do I feel welcome?
You bet I do!
WHY I GO TO CHURCH
Many people tell me they believe in God but do not feel the
need to go to church. I hear excuses
like
- “God is everywhere; I don’t have to go to church to be with Him.”
- “All they are after is money!”
- “I live a good life; I do all the right things, why should I need to go?”
- “I don’t feel welcome.”
Let’s examine excuse #1.
Considering, God is our Father, here’s how I feel. As a parent, I have a son who has not
visited, not contacted me in over 1 ½ years.
I am heartbroken. This must be
similar to how God feels when we do not visit His House. I could not agree more
that God Is everywhere, yet I don’t see how this is a valid excuse for not
going to Church. If we are baptized in
His name, we have an obligation to abide by His rules.
Excuse # 2. Yes, they
ask for tithes and for good reasons. The
Church community must be maintained, just as our own homes require upkeep. Churches help support the many agencies that
care for the needy and poor. I am on a
fixed income and can’t give but a fraction of what many parishioners give, yet
I do my part.
Excuse # 3. First of
all, you are not doing all the right things if you can justify not going to
church. The love of God does require
something back from you. “If you wish to
follow me, pick up your cross and come.”
If you really have faith, then you should pay your due share. Feed the hungry. Visit the sick. Clothe the needy. Pray for those in need. Remember those before us, who gave their
lives for our religious freedom. By
staying home, within your domestic church, you will not be strengthened and
replenished as you would if you go to the community church. We are weak sinners and must be fed and
forgiven continuously. If you believe
that you never sin, then you make God out to be a liar.
Excuse # 4. This
one’s really a very bad excuse. I was
attending a church and it was about to be sold and closed. I thought to myself, I will go to a new
church. I picked a new one and began to
go daily at 12:10 PM. About a month
after I was going each day, one day, a man came up to me before Mass and said
“The priest wants to see you; He’s over
there. I got up and made my way to him. He ushered me into a hallway for privacy and
said “ Some of the parishioners are concerned about your whiskers in the wine
cup.” He seemed uncomfortable and a bit
embarrassed. I laughed and said “Oh
dear!” He asked me if I would mind
coming up to communion last. I had a
real chance to feel not welcome. My
response was “Of course I don’t mind. I’ve been coming here for the last month for
this time slot fits nicely into my day.”
He seemed relieved and I continued to attend that Mass daily. I know that the elderly man who told me that
the priest wanted to see me, was the one complaining about my beard. That was over three years ago. Since then, that man and I have been
friends. Since then, I have been going
to the early Mass at 0630. Since then,
that same priest who asked me to go up to communion last, asked my wife and I
if we would consider joining the pre-Cana team and give our testimony to the
couples about to be wed. We give our
talk, twice a year, spring and fall. It
is rewarding to us and do I feel welcome?
You bet I do!
WHY I GO TO CHURCH
Many people tell me they believe in God but do not feel the
need to go to church. I hear excuses
like
- “God is everywhere; I don’t have to go to church to be with Him.”
- “All they are after is money!”
- “I live a good life; I do all the right things, why should I need to go?”
- “I don’t feel welcome.”
Let’s examine excuse #1.
Considering, God is our Father, here’s how I feel. As a parent, I have a son who has not
visited, not contacted me in over 1 ½ years.
I am heartbroken. This must be
similar to how God feels when we do not visit His House. I could not agree more
that God Is everywhere, yet I don’t see how this is a valid excuse for not
going to Church. If we are baptized in
His name, we have an obligation to abide by His rules.
Excuse # 2. Yes, they
ask for tithes and for good reasons. The
Church community must be maintained, just as our own homes require upkeep. Churches help support the many agencies that
care for the needy and poor. I am on a
fixed income and can’t give but a fraction of what many parishioners give, yet
I do my part.
Excuse # 3. First of
all, you are not doing all the right things if you can justify not going to
church. The love of God does require
something back from you. “If you wish to
follow me, pick up your cross and come.”
If you really have faith, then you should pay your due share. Feed the hungry. Visit the sick. Clothe the needy. Pray for those in need. Remember those before us, who gave their
lives for our religious freedom. By
staying home, within your domestic church, you will not be strengthened and
replenished as you would if you go to the community church. We are weak sinners and must be fed and
forgiven continuously. If you believe
that you never sin, then you make God out to be a liar.
Excuse # 4. This
one’s really a very bad excuse. I was
attending a church and it was about to be sold and closed. I thought to myself, I will go to a new
church. I picked a new one and began to
go daily at 12:10 PM. About a month
after I was going each day, one day, a man came up to me before Mass and said
“The priest wants to see you; He’s over
there. I got up and made my way to him. He ushered me into a hallway for privacy and
said “ Some of the parishioners are concerned about your whiskers in the wine
cup.” He seemed uncomfortable and a bit
embarrassed. I laughed and said “Oh
dear!” He asked me if I would mind
coming up to communion last. I had a
real chance to feel not welcome. My
response was “Of course I don’t mind. I’ve been coming here for the last month for
this time slot fits nicely into my day.”
He seemed relieved and I continued to attend that Mass daily. I know that the elderly man who told me that
the priest wanted to see me, was the one complaining about my beard. That was over three years ago. Since then, that man and I have been
friends. Since then, I have been going
to the early Mass at 0630. Since then,
that same priest who asked me to go up to communion last, asked my wife and I
if we would consider joining the pre-Cana team and give our testimony to the
couples about to be wed. We give our
talk, twice a year, spring and fall. It
is rewarding to us and do I feel welcome?
You bet I do!