Chapter XVII: On Attendance at Mass. — Excuses for Neglecting It

WHY has the Almighty required His people to abstain from labor on Sunday? Surely it was not in order that they might be quite idle and listless. No! It was in order to afford us a better chance to worship Him and to attend to their souls. Therefore, along with the abstinence from labor is the command to attend to God’s service, by hearing at least once the Holy Mass on that day.

How a well-principled girl can neglect this duty is more than I can conceive. How can she be determined to worship God in spirit and in truth, and yet neglect the very highest and best act of worship it is possible to pay?

This is just what the Holy Mass is, in which our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, true God and true man, comes down from heaven upon our altar to offer Himself in sacrifice for our sins, and to give Himself to us in Communion; to renew the very action which He performed when He died for us upon the cross. We are properly required, then, to assist at this most important action, and not let the day go by without having discharged this duty.

You must do so according to the very best of your ability. I say according to the best of your ability, because I know that every one cannot go to Mass every Sunday. Still, I am told by a very truthful and judicious girl, who has had a good deal of experience herself, and is largely acquainted with the circumstances of others, that it is rarely the case, at least in cities and towns, that a good girl who desires it cannot go to Mass every Sunday.

I believe she spoke the truth, and that where there is a will there is a way, and that with a little good management at least one Mass can be heard on each Sunday. In our large cities and towns there are often so many Masses at different hours of the morning that one could select the most convenient, and attend it without neglecting any duty at home.

It may be necessary to rise early, it is true; for there are some girls who cannot well attend any Mass unless they get to the first one. Well, then, get up with cheerfulness and attend to your duty; you will have time enough to rest another part of the day.

I have not much patience with the sleepy-heads, who sleep away their precious time, when duty calls them to be awake. I am sure they cannot have much patience with themselves. They must feel out of sorts and miserable to think they have had so little courage, and so little conscience, as to lie in their beds when they know perfectly well they ought to be up, and that God’s voice is calling them away to the church.

My dear good girl, no matter how comfortable the bed may be, no matter how little inclination you may feel to go out, rise at once; seize the opportunity to hear Mass. Be found among the devout worshippers kneeling before the altar, and the good God will not forget it.

The habit of obeying the voice of God in this respect will help you in other respects, and on other occasions. You will be laying solidly the foundations of that mansion which shall be yours eternally in the heavens.

Sometimes your going to Mass will depend on your asking permission, or giving notice in order that matters may be arranged so as to allow you to go. Many a girl keeps silent and loses Mass. Now, that is not right. It is your duty to speak.

It is well to have an understanding on the subject when you enter service at a place, that everybody may be satisfied afterwards. Inquire modestly what can be allowed in this respect, and, depend upon it, your employers will think all the more of you for it.

It happened once that, after a Mission, one of the missionaries had occasion to call on a Protestant acquaintance. In the course of the conversation the priest remarked: “I fear the constant attendance of your domestics at the Mission has put your wife to some inconvenience.” “Yes, it has caused some inconvenience,” was the reply, “but we are glad to suffer it, for we know well that the best girls are those who attend to their religious duties the best. We feel it to be right to offer to others the privileges which we prize so much for ourselves.”

Every right-minded employer will have such sentiments, and they are held far more commonly than we give them credit for. I do not like to hear of a Catholic girl going off to Mass secretly and slily, as if she were doing something to be ashamed of. No! let her say openly when she is going, and I am confident that inmost cases there will be every disposition to arrange things according to her wishes.

Sometimes, where there are a number of girls in the same family, they could all attend Mass, if a spirit of charity prevailed among them, and a disposition to accommodate one another. Why should they not change places sometimes, and one do the other’s work while she goes to Mass? How much better is this than that cross and snappish spirit which makes one flare up with pride and anger, and say, “No, I will not!” “You attend to your own work, and I will to mine.” “I won’t wash dishes for anybody.” “I won’t have anything to do with taking care of the child. I don’t want to be troubled with the cross thing.” “I’m going to Mass. What do I care whether you go or not?” “I’m not obliged to be looking out for you.” How hateful such things are in the sight of God, who came down from heaven to do good to us all, who has enjoined on us so often to love one another, and to be solicitous for one another’s happiness! Is this “bearing one another’s burdens,” that so we “may fulfil the law of Christ?” (Gal. v. 2). I think not, and I fear that she who attends to her religious duties with such a spirit will get very little profit from them.

The truth is, some girls are glad enough of an excuse to keep away from Mass. They pretend their duties keep them back, and they could go, after all, well enough if they chose to make arrangements to do so.

And here let me caution you as to another fault. A girl is in a good place, where she can and does go to Mass every Sunday, but now and then something occurs to prevent it. She straightway flies into a passion, and declares her intention to quit her place. I know such an instance.

A girl had been living some time in a place where she was treated with every indulgence, and allowed to go to Mass every Sunday. She had not been required to remain at home a single time until the lady of the house, who was very sick and near to death, required her help one Sunday, after the others had been exhausted in watching. Immediately she refused with great anger; declaring she would not lose Mass for anybody or anything, and that she would not continue to live in the place any longer.

There was no obligation to hear Mass under such circumstances, as she ought to have known, and such conduct was scandalous, giving a very false and hateful aspect to our holy faith, which we all know enjoins the utmost charity to the sick and suffering. That girl’s own conscience told her this, for she came the next day acknowledging her fault and asking forgiveness.

When pride and ill-temper put on the cloak of piety and duty, they are more hateful than in their own dress, for then they bring dishonor upon religion and God.