It'd be pretty easy to go on a sanctimonious rant about this. But instead, maybe I'm just supposed to ask a question. What are we actually doing when we go to church? That is, what is its purpose? Is it possible that Jim and his commenters had the purpose wrong, and when what they thought was the purpose did not bear fruit, they drew the wrong conclusion?
And this is where my Catholicism falls out as a matter of course. It really isn't just cheerleading. We go to Mass to offer sacrifice. That is, our life in union with His. We owe God that. We owed him that even before the full revelation of his Son. But because nothing we could offer ourselves would be worthy, it must be in Christ. More than that, it must be Christ. And my life is the pittance, yet most necessary bilateral gift.
But alas, it is said, Christ died only once, and yet you call it sacrifice, even to say Christ is immolated on the altar. That is true. Yet what is this so close a relation? Is Calvary repeated, or is it something else? Suppose Christ Jesus was the one doing the offering; would the risen Lord deny Himself by offering himself in this way? No; it is the glory of Christ to offer himself to every person; it is his will that the Cross be brought near, to be much more than a memory.
Who cares if I get anything out of it? Perhaps the operative question is, "Did he get anything out of me?"
We are the mystical Body of Christ; does it matter if we are connected to each other on a purely human level? I suppose it is good to love our neighbors. In this way, we do concern ourselves with human relationships, in order that the spiritual purpose is served for all.
And this is where my Catholicism falls out as a matter of course. It really isn't just cheerleading. We go to Mass to offer sacrifice. That is, our life in union with His. We owe God that. We owed him that even before the full revelation of his Son. But because nothing we could offer ourselves would be worthy, it must be in Christ. More than that, it must be Christ. And my life is the pittance, yet most necessary bilateral gift.
But alas, it is said, Christ died only once, and yet you call it sacrifice, even to say Christ is immolated on the altar. That is true. Yet what is this so close a relation? Is Calvary repeated, or is it something else? Suppose Christ Jesus was the one doing the offering; would the risen Lord deny Himself by offering himself in this way? No; it is the glory of Christ to offer himself to every person; it is his will that the Cross be brought near, to be much more than a memory.
Who cares if I get anything out of it? Perhaps the operative question is, "Did he get anything out of me?"
We are the mystical Body of Christ; does it matter if we are connected to each other on a purely human level? I suppose it is good to love our neighbors. In this way, we do concern ourselves with human relationships, in order that the spiritual purpose is served for all.
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