In Paolo Curtaza’s book “Siedem sakramentów” (The Seven Sacraments) there is a following passage: ‘Celebrated faith changes lives every day. This is the experience of the Lord’s disciples and this is the experience the Church transmits to us. The disciple who believes but does not celebrate, and with his life contradicts the evangelical precepts, reduces faith to a full contradiction, an undefined socio-cultural affiliation.’ (translation from Polish)
I think there is a lot of truth, and even truth itself in this passage. By not celebrating our faith, by not attending Holy Mass, we are rejecting what Jesus Christ has left us. The Holy Mass is God’s gift to us; God planned the Holy Mass for our spiritual growth. I do not know why some believers in God do not attend the celebration of the Holy Mass. After all, if we believe that Christ Himself instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist, it should be clear that there is nothing beyond it, that it is given to us for spiritual growth.
And perhaps most significantly, during the Holy Mass we can feed on the Body and Blood of Christ hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. We can feed on Jesus when we are in a state of sanctifying grace.
What is sanctifying grace?
Sanctifying grace is “The supernatural state of being infused by God, which permanently inheres in the soul. It is a vital principle of the supernatural life, as the rational soul is the vital principle of a human being’s natural life. It is not a substance but a real quality that becomes part of the soul substance. Although commonly associated with the possession of the virtue of charity, sanctifuing grace is yet distinct from this virtue. Charity, rather, belongs to the will, whereas sanctifying grace belongs to the whole soul, mind, will, and affections. It is called sanctifying grace because it makes holy those who possess the gift by giving them a participation in the divine life. It is zo_ (life), which Christ taught that he has in common with the Father and which those who are in the state of grace share.”
(source: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=36272)
God pours down on believers the wellsprings of grace, giving us the Sacrament of Penance so that we may live in unity with God and the Church. Let us enjoy the graces of God and the sacraments that are given to us because of God’s love for us all.
DARE TO LIVE 