Homily, 12-11-23; Monday of the 2nd Week of Advent
Every so often, someone will approach me after Mass and inform me that they were unable to attend Mass recently. They always want to know if it was a sin and if they needed to go to confession. For some reason they seem more comfortable coming to me with their question rather than to the priest. And I try to turn the question back to them. I ask them if they were truly unable to attend Mass, or would it have simply been inconvenient for them to attend. I usually don’t get an answer.
I was up ice fishing one weekend a few years back in Alger, Michigan. On Sunday morning before fishing, I went down to the little Catholic church in town and got settled in to say some prayers before Mass. But then the lector came out and made an announcement. The local priest was on vacation, and the visiting priest who was supposed to fill in for him had a medical emergency overnight and was in the hospital. There would be no Mass that morning, simply a Liturgy of the Word in the absence of a priest. No priest, no Communion. The lector gave a few options for Masses in neighboring towns, but only a few of us present got up and took advantage of one of those options. For most, it was too inconvenient to travel to attend Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist.
These incidents came to mind as I reflected on today’s gospel passage. The men who carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus could have simply turned back around and gone home when they saw the crowds that did not let them have access to Jesus. Bringing their friend to Jesus to be healed would not be convenient. But their great faith caused them to pursue what was inconvenient. And it makes me wonder if it is lack of faith of Jesus in the Eucharist that is the reason why many are cavalier about Mass attendance. They attend Mass when it is convenient, but are not willing to go out of their way, to go the extra mile, to attend.
I know that I am, in a way, preaching to the choir here today. Those attending daily Mass know the importance of the Eucharist. You are people with strong faith. But all of us are probably tempted to take the easy way out from time to time. We can all reflect on how strong our faith is, and probably none of us would lower ourselves through a hole in the roof to be present at Mass.
We all struggle with our faith. We all have room for growth. Let us pray for the strength to persevere, to pray when our spiritual life is dry, to sacrifice when we would prefer a time of comfort, to carry our friends in prayer to Jesus when they need spiritual healing.