Why Go to Mass? 9 Reasons to Participate in the Eucharist
Participating in Mass—that is, in the Eucharist—is the source and summit of the Christian life. But beyond that, why go to Mass? Why attend regularly, especially every Sunday? In this article from Hozana, let’s explore some reasons and motivations for why it is important to attend Mass faithfully and receive Communion regularly.
1. To Love God
A priest once said, “When you love someone, you want to see them.” It’s the same with God: if we love Christ, we want to be with him. In the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, God comes to meet us, and we receive him in the Body and Blood of Christ.
2. To be nourished by the Word of God
The first part of the Mass—the Liturgy of the Word—allows the faithful to be nourished by the Word of God. In other words, those attending Mass are nourished both intellectually and spiritually. The Word of God transforms our lives (this is referred to as a “performative word”) because it is alive and calls us to put it into practice, following our encounter with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
3. To Receive the Body and Blood of Christ
Attending Mass allows us to be nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ through Holy Communion, received on the tongue or in the hand. Number 1384 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: 'Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.'" (Jn 6:53).” (No. 1384).
4. To taste the fruits of communion
Attending Mass allows us to taste the fruits of communion. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that these fruits are union with Christ (nos. 1391 and 1396), the growth and renewal of the life of grace received at Baptism (no. 1392), the enlivening of charity (no. 1394), the remission of venial sins (no. 1394), and protection from future mortal sins (no. 1395).
5. Because the Mass is the source and summit of Christian life
The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council (Lumen Gentium) states in paragraph 11 that the Eucharist is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life.
We also find this in number 1324 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life.' 'The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.'"
Number 1327 adds to this by saying: “In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: 'Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.'"
6. To exercise his priestly office by virtue of his baptism
During the celebration of baptism, the ritual prescribes that the priest or deacon say to the newly baptized: “You are a member of the Body of Christ, and you share in his dignity as priest, prophet, and king.”
For a baptized person, the office of priest consists, in particular, in participation in the sacraments, and especially in the Eucharist.
7. To Form the Church
The Church means the assembly. Consequently, for the Mass—which, as we have seen, is the source and summit of the entire Christian life—the entire community of believers is called together to form one body and actively participate in the liturgy.
Consequently, watching Mass on television from the comfort of one’s home cannot replace the actual Mass.
8. To Taste Divine Life Here on Earth
To partake of divine life is to experience or renew a personal encounter with Christ, who desires to be our friend and to share his divine life with us even here on earth. Participation in the Eucharist and Holy Communion—the Body and Blood of Christ—allows us to partake of this divine life.
9. For our salvation
As we have already seen in another article, the Eucharist and the sacraments are necessary for salvation. This is what paragraph 1129 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “For believers, the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation” (no. 1129).
The Council of Trent also addressed this topic at length. We invite you to read this article.
Rediscover the Eucharist with Hozana!
Hozana offers various resources to help you rediscover the Eucharist, such as:
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