tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post1101535017153961860..comments2023-06-08T10:14:58.258-04:00Comments on The Yeoman Farmer: StrandedTYFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14507074580402175405noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-52311398355659211862009-12-30T09:22:08.140-05:002009-12-30T09:22:08.140-05:00Thank you for your response. This (the Mass as a s...Thank you for your response. This (the Mass as a sacrifice) is a different perspective from what I am accustomed to in one of the Protestant traditions. I've asked a few friends from different Protestant backgrounds, and none of them, including myself, called the Mass analogue of a church service itself a sacrifice. Regarding the attending of a Mass, while it's true that both Catholics and non-Catholics make sacrifices of their time (to attend or serve), their praise (worship given to the triune God), and their resources (offerings and means to get to a Mass), I would agree that there is a fundamental difference on how Masses and church services are viewed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-71013763139623238142009-12-29T15:14:55.084-05:002009-12-29T15:14:55.084-05:00Anon -
I appreciate your comment, and the opportu...Anon -<br /><br />I appreciate your comment, and the opportunity to add a bit to the thoughts in my original post.<br /><br />I have on several occasions been the only congregant present at Mass. This has always been on a weekday. On almost every one of those occasions, the priest was clearly going to go ahead and celebrate Mass even if I hadn't been there (on the other occasions, the priest was a dear friend offering a private Mass to fit in my work schedule). Our local parish is very small, and there are only two of us who come on weekdays with any regularity. The priest keeps his schedule regardless of whether we join him. <br /><br />I honestly have no idea what any given Protestant minister would do if no one showed up at his service; my original observation was simply that many more local Protestant churches than Catholic churches seemed to be cancelling services that Sunday. <br /><br />I certainly don't intend to minimize the importance of people's attendance. As I tried to say in the original post, it's still very important for the congregation to attend when we're physically able. And being physically present is of course the only way we receive Holy Communion. But when we are not able to do so, we can still unite ourselves spiritually with the Mass and obtain many graces from it. <br /><br />No, it's not the same; being in the same room with the person you love is better than settling for a telephone conversation. But MYF sure appreciated my phone calls when I was stuck in Baltimore and trying to unite myself with the family in the best way available to me. That said, she would likely (rightfully) grow to doubt my commitment if I deliberately kept myself away from the family on a regular basis and simply "phoned it in." <br /><br />The Mass is a real sacrifice --- but we don't believe Christ is sacrificed over and over. He did that once, for all, on Calvary. The Mass re-presents, or "makes present" in our time, that one sacrifice of Christ. As the CCC (1330) puts it: "The Holy Sacrifice, because it makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior and includes the Church's offering, the terms holy sacrifice of the Mass, 'sacrifice of praise,' spiritual sacrifice, pure and holy sacrifice are also used, since it completes and surpasses all the sacrifices of the Old Covenant." I'd just add that all those things remain true regardless of the size of any given congregation; it's still the same one sacrifice of Christ, made present across time and space. Which is why our local pastor says Mass on weekdays regardless of whether I or the other gentleman are able to join him.<br /><br />Finally, I'd mention that Canon Law limits the number of Masses a priest can celebrate in any given day, for good reason: there are countless graces obtained from any one Mass, but a priest has other important duties.TYFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14507074580402175405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-83111329385012959992009-12-29T14:14:45.070-05:002009-12-29T14:14:45.070-05:00I read and enjoy your blog often - thank you. Most...I read and enjoy your blog often - thank you. Most of the time your posts are clear, but this post raised several questions requiring elucidation, especially to your non-Catholic readers. I am interested in hearing your responses. <br /><br />First, are you aware of a priest who has actually held a Mass with no one present? I've been to many non-Catholic services where the congregation count was quite small in inclimate weather, but if the service was not cancelled in advance, it was not cancelled at all. If people can receive "graces from every celebrated Mass", isn't that motivation to celebrate as many Masses as possible, even to the point of a priest's physical exhaustion? I can also see people using this as an excuse not to attend Mass since they will receive these graces regardless, despite being told to attend from the church authorities. <br /><br />When you say the Mass is a "true sacrifice", what is actually being sacrificed? Do you mean it's a rememberance of Christ's ultimate sacrifice? From your post, it sounds as though the sacrifice is not from the people, as the number of attendees is immaterial. <br /><br />How does one "spiritually unite" with a Mass? Is it a simple, few-minute rememberance of past Masses attended? Or is it going through the entire Mass in one's mind? Or is it prayer?<br /><br />I am glad you made it home safely.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-66043174320048658362009-12-22T07:06:22.522-05:002009-12-22T07:06:22.522-05:00Don't you mean, twenty inches of Gore-ball war...Don't you mean, twenty inches of Gore-ball warming...? Heh.Broadswordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11571770422428875181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-29085688128735506072009-12-21T11:44:13.759-05:002009-12-21T11:44:13.759-05:00Glad you made it home safely. Travel is always a ...Glad you made it home safely. Travel is always a mixed bag, especially when you add in the masses of people in such a 'hub', not to mention, the weather and time of year, on top of that. Ugh...<br /><br />In case you don't post between now and Christmas, have a very merry, and blessed Christmas, and give the YFCs/YFB big hugs from all of us out here in "the internet world"... :-DRachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04104786303721290423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-10967182751823375042009-12-20T23:26:18.476-05:002009-12-20T23:26:18.476-05:00Thanks for the prayers - I did make it home Sunday...Thanks for the prayers - I did make it home Sunday night. Longest airport line I've ever seen, but at least it moved quickly and I did get on a flight. Hopefully will never again have to fly around Christmas time.TYFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14507074580402175405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220057250271426855.post-3342643342565528732009-12-20T23:10:49.461-05:002009-12-20T23:10:49.461-05:00Many prayers for your safe travels, YF! Please te...Many prayers for your safe travels, YF! Please tell Mrs YF and the YFCs (to incl the YFB, of course!), that we are praying for their safety in your absence (prayers and God know no time limits, to my mind :-) ).<br /><br />I read your post to DH this evening. Wonderfully put. No snow here in the home of the Oklas, but we're supposed to have some colder weather this next week. LOL. :-)Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04104786303721290423noreply@blogger.com