June 18, 2017 A science experiment reports how some students put a live frog into a pot of water and slowly began to heat it. After a while the water began to boil, but the frog never tried to jump out. Why not? Because the changes in the frog’s surroundings were so gradual that it never noticed them until it was too late. Christians can end up like the frog. Our moral environment, consisting of a humdrum world that often acts as though God does not exist, can subtly turn us away from what is really important. And we fail to notice it until we are dying spiritually. God should be our priority. And our
religion requires us to worship God both individually and socially. We very often hear people say, “I don’t have to attend Mass to pray. I can pray anywhere.” True. We can and should pray daily. But our faith also requires that we keep the Lord’s Day holy by coming together as a community to give thanks and praise to God. This isn’t because God needs it – it’s because
we need it! Moving away from that weekly celebration of the Eucharist can affect our spiritual life. And just like the frog in hot water, it may happen so slowly, we don’t realize it until it’s too late.
Summer is a time of vacation and relaxation. But all too often many people include Sunday worship in that off-time. Mass attendance easily becomes one of those things we do when everything else has been taken care of or when there is nothing else to do. There is only one thing that is a constant in our lives and that is our relationship with God. Everything else is temporary. Doesn’t it make sense, then, that strengthening that relationship would be our top priority? And for us, our greatest strength comes from the Eucharist. The Mass
calls us to experience and celebrate our salvation. Every liturgical action, especially the celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments brings about an encounter between Christ and his Church. And that is true in every season! Make God…and Sunday worship…your top priority.