Baltimore, MD. Catholicism is not a do-it-yourself activity. Christianity is not a club. Faith is not a feeling. … What are they, then? Catholicism is a new, different way of living. Christianity is a discipleship. Faith is an obedience. Recently, some of our evangelists talked to gentleman – let’s call him “Fred” – who said he knew how to pray the rosary and that he went to Mass. Others might have responded with something like, “That’s great! Keep it up!”, but we encourage our evangelists to strive to meet each person where they are, and then lead them up to the next level. So in this case, they probed further, and found out that Fred does not get to Mass every Sunday, but only on occasion.
But what about “Thou Shalt Keep Holy the Sabbath Day”? To fulfill this Commandment, Catholics are normally obliged to worship God at Holy Mass on Sundays and certain Holy Days, and to avoid any activity that hinders such worship and the proper rest and relaxation. This isn’t an option – it is part of Christian discipleship. We need to spend quality time with God; and on His terms, not ours.