The commemoration of St Paul’s shipwreck on our island that we recently celebrated and the Sunday Mass Attendance Census that has just been published, make one reflect on what being a Catholic means to us, Maltese, who, in our absolute majority – 92 per cent – profess that we are Catholics, while only 36 per cent attend Mass on Sunday.
As a practising Catholic, one feels disturbed by the 36 per cent figure when the Mass, for us Catholics, is the centre of our religion. In the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church the Eucharist is defined as “the source and summit of all Christian life. In the Eucharist, the sanctifying action of God in our regard and our worship of Him reach their high point. It contains the whole spiritual good of the Church, Christ himself, our Pasch. Communion with divine life and the unity of the people of God are both expressed and effected by the Eucharist” (274).
The above explanation of the Eucharist demonstrates that for Mass to be meaningful and effective one needs to interiorise and live the life of grace that the Eucharist bestows on each one of us. We need to synchronise our daily life with what goes on during the celebration of Mass in order to appreciate the Eucharist.
As Anthony Robbins states, “It is not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean”. Though, perhaps, we do find people attending Mass out of obligation rather than out of conviction, unless one is convinced of what one is doing one cannot relate with what goes on during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Once that sense of belonging is missing one feels estranged and therefore opts not to attend.
We have to admit that we are living in a secular society where consumerism and materialism is becoming so much ingrained in our way of thinking and acting that they are gradually eroding our moral values and sense of the spiritual. As Pope Francis argues, “The senses that find God are the ones called spiritual senses”. Many seem to relegate or negate a spiritual reality which, unfortunately, hinders a life of faith. Unless we hold on to our Christian roots we won’t be able to combat current trends and ideologies that seem to go diametrically opposite to our Christian values.
Unless we consider our spiritual life – our life of faith – as an important factor in our lives there is no hope that Mass attendance will improve
Oliver Friggieri, in his article ‘Towards a definition of an ultra-minor nation’ (January 13), when referring to our Maltese identity, argues that the past is irrelevant to the present “only if a plant can survive in isolation from its roots”. Life around us, through architecture, art, music and literature, constantly reminds us of our Christian heritage, and the fact that 92 per cent profess that their religion is Catholic, vouches for this. But unless we cultivate our Christian faith, which is an integral part of our identity spectrum, it will easily be obliterated and lose its importance.
Living in a society where freedom of expression seems to be the only guiding principle, then, even in one’s faith one feels the need to express one’s beliefs freely – without any restraints or obligations. Once the Sunday Mass is seen as an obligation it is no longer considered as a free expression of one’s inner convictions. Such reasoning was spelt out by Fr René Camilleri when he argued: “The main issue with religion is not Mass attendance on Sunday. That can only make sense in a context. As long as religion remains a question of obligations, the decline will be guaranteed”. That is why Mass should be seen in the context of one’s living faith.
Even Jesus, in his teachings, gave importance to one’s inner disposition and motivation rather than to one’s outward obligations. When some Pharisees protested because his disciples were harvesting on the Sabbath, the Jewish day of worship, He rebuked them by saying “I want you to be merciful more than I want your offerings” (Matt.12:7). No wonder, then, that Fr René reasoned that “Religion is about the heart, not the mind and doctrines”.
There is no doubt that the Mass has to be given its due importance. Blessed John Henry Newman, eulogising on the Mass, states: “The Mass is not a mere form of words, it is a great action, the greatest action that can be on earth. It is not the invocation merely, but, if I dare use the word, the evocation of the Eternal. He becomes present on the altar in flesh and blood, before whom angels bow and devils tremble.” That is why the celebrant has an important role in putting the congregation in the right atmosphere and disposition.
Unless, though, we consider our spiritual life – our life of faith – as an important factor in our lives there is no hope that Mass attendance will improve. However true it is that Mass attendance is not the only means of gauging one’s faith, one needs to live a life of virtue and give importance to one’s spiritual dimension in order to feel the need to attend and participate in the Eucharistic celebration.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece