Sunday Mass attendance

Archbishop Joseph Mercieca has lamented falling attendance at Sunday Mass. An innovation or two might do the trick in filling the Sunday Masses to overflowing. It has worked well for us here in America.

Have each local priest bring out his Bible and open it at the Gospel written by St John. In Chapter 3, verse 16 John says that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will not perish but have eternal life! People will love to hear that. Some will ask, what exactly must we believe that brings about this eternal life? What a joy for each priest to be able to tell them to cast themselves upon Jesus Christ who died on the cross for their sins.

When we believe that the atonement was a personal event, it was for me, then the excitement knows no bounds. The churches will be packed to the doors as people come to understand that the Gospel is personal, and that by trusting in the work of Christ they can know their sins are eternally forgiven.

Isn't this what we celebrate in Mass? The death of Christ? You cannot overestimate the thrill and joy people will have, knowing Christ personally. John writes in another book, 1 John, "These things have I written to you that believe (rest) on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life..." (5:13)

We see it in our churches to the point that it becomes commonplace. My prayer is that the same happens all across Malta.