Reason # 9: Scriptural Teaching. Catholics sometimes get accused of not knowing Scripture. But Catholics do in fact know Scripture very well! We are not the type to quote chapter and verse, but if you attend Mass every Sunday you KNOW Scripture! Every Sunday at Mass we read from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Epistles, and the Gospels. Four readings every Sunday! Over a three-year cycle we cover all four Gospels in totality, most of the New Testament Epistles, most of the psalms, and significant portions of the Old Testament.
Those who who attend Mass each Sunday know in great detail passages and parable like these: the woman at the well, the parable of the lost sheep, the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus walking on the water, feeding the five thousand, healing the blind man, and the parable of the Prodigal Son. We read these year after year and they are in our very substance. The Church teaches us the Bible through the Liturgy, Sunday after Sunday. If you come to daily Mass there’s even more. There are some Catholics who pray the Liturgy of the Hours and this adds even more Scripture.
If you’ve been away for a while, come home to the Catholic Church. Come to the home of the Bible—the Catholic Church. Come to Mass, where the Scriptures have been faithfully proclaimed each Sunday for over 2000 years. Before you know it, the Scriptures will become part of your very being.
The Scriptures assigned to each Mass can be found HERE.
On attending Sunday Mass…. if you are sick and cannot drive and cannot otherwise get there (can’t get a ride, not near Metro or bus service, or too sick to leave the house)…. is it a sin to miss mass then? I’m still kinda confused on this. I’ve had to miss 2 weeks due to sickness that was somewhat serious.
Sickness does excuse one from the obligation of attending Mass. It is presumed that the sickness would be more than just a mild headache or something but if one is sick and ought not (in their own judgement) attend Mass then one is excused. Further, the care of someone who is sick might also excuse us if no one else can be reasonably found to assist in the care. Lastly, if one becomes so sick that they cannot attend Mass for a long period, one ought to call to the parish and see that Holy Communion is brought to them. It is not a good idea to go for long periods without the spiritual nourishment that Holy Communion provides.