Why go to Church?

By Rita Murdock

      Because it is important to keep God's commandments. We readily 'obey' the secular, material world dictates: stop at the red light; clock in on time at work; cash the paycheck at the registered bank, get up when the alarm rings; dress for success, be courteous to elders, etc.

       Where did we get these things and the ability to Respond/obey? God is our creator and worthy of our utmost and first respect. Cain in the Bible, kept the first fruits of his labor for himself; Abel, returned to God the first fruits from the abundance that God gave him. God gives us everything we have: a job, the ability to have a job, our senses, even the ability to feel remorse and sorrow at our sin. So why not go to Church? 

     We should want to give God at least His due. We should want to please God who has given us His all, His son Jesus who died for us. We should want to obey God and fear to offend Him. And if love is not enough, we should at least obey His Commandments because Hell is a real place. Heaven is also a real place. Come to church and learn more about the reason for our being. Come out of obedience until you can love God the way He deserves to be loved. Come to church to find peace in these economic times of hardship and despair. Come to church and bring your children, parents, friend...perhaps they'll "get something" out of it even if you don't. Perhaps God's plan is for them to enlighten you! Come to church to learn how to be a beacon, not just to bunker in safety. Come to church to grow in grace. Our souls need food just as our bodies do. Let your spirit come alive. 

      The story is told of the Church goer who complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

    A church goer responded: "I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals But I do know this.. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"      

      When you are DOWN to nothing... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

      See you at Mass on Sunday; in the adoration chapel during the week! God gives us time. Let's give some back to HIM!