It's time!

It's time to get back to church.  

As the pandemic was winding down, I had a conversation with a lady in a medical office.  She admitted to me that she had gotten comfortable staying home, watching Mass online, and that she intended to return in person, but just hadn't yet. 

I ran into a guy in the back of church one day, a few years ago, and he was ranting on about how it was the devil's plan that we would stay away, and temporarily shut down churches. He thought that everyone should have continued to gather--to heck with the supposed danger of getting sick or dying.

The truth is, I expect there are many people like the first lady that just got comfortable being home and still have not returned.  There are many rationalizations for staying home, but most of them, in reality, are just excuses at this point.

For those who still have not made it back, I suspect you probably did not realize what was happening in the first place, because if you did, you would have raced back to church as soon as the opportunity safely presented itself.

I disagree with the guy who thought this was the devil's plan, and that the danger was to be ignored, but staying away when it is no longer necessary requires some honest self-reflection.

Now for older people, or those whose health is compromised and so forth, of course, the online service may be the best idea.  But for those who continue to stay home, just because, I hope you will return.  

The community that is created in a parish is very real.  Familiarity to our  fellow worshipers is important. But beyond that, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a beautiful gift to be cherished and received whenever possible.

Be an encourager today if you know someone in need of a little motivation to return to church. Sometimes an invitation is all it takes.

Janet Cassidy
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