A good reminder from Edmund Clowney on what’s at stake when we join in corporate worship:
Few consciences today would be violated by anything that happens in a church service. People think of church as offering religious platform presentations: a pageant of some sort, or a speaker offering professional opinions on such things as stress reduction and family values. Participative services may be viewed as spiritual talent shows, or as large-group therapy. Sadly, churches have contributed to such misunderstanding by losing the awe as well as the joy of meeting God in worship. In the New Covenant we must not forget the lessons of the Old. God invites worship on his terms, not ours. The Reformers often reminded the church of the words God spoke after judging Aaron’s sons, the priests Nadab and Abihu, who had broken the law by burning incense with fire that had not been taken from God’s altar (Lv. 10:1-7, cf. 16:12):
Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored (Lev. 10:3).
Or, as the author to the Hebrews tells us: ‘Worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire”‘ (Heb. 12:28-29). (p.123, The Church)
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Consider a Catholic Mass, my brother. Evaluate it critically. Evaluate it fairly, with an open mind. After you are satisfied with your assessment attend 3 Masses. Participate reverently. Ask the Lord, if this is His Church, to reveal His presence to you.
Blog about what you discover.
The mass is heretical. It constitutes a re-sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is blasphemy.
Sorry, my brother but you misrepresent the Mass. It is not a re-sacrifice but rather a transcendent, continuous participation in the fullness of His sacrifice. Not only as the profound historical event that it was but as an ongoing sacramental miracle sustaining His people through His sacrifice.
Our Lord sacrificed Himself but once. At His Ascension He left us each other and the Spirit of truth.
The Mass is the glorious intersection and re-intersection of His sacrifice, His community and the Holy Spirit of truth.
Not for His sake but for ours.
…Then He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them saying, “This is my body which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.”…
Luke 22 (19-20) NAB