From Fr. Tim Finigan and his blog The Hermeneutic of Continuity:
I am heartily sick of the protest “I don’t go to Mass because my parents forced me to go when I was young.” OK Son, what else did your parents force you to do?
Your parents forced you to wash before you went out in the morning. Those cruel tyrants made sure that you cleaned your teeth before you went to bed. They dragged you kicking and screaming to school so that you could learn to read – and the teachers collaborated by forcing you to learn the alphabet and put the words together.
To top it all, after looking after your physical needs, they had the temerity to exercise their authority by looking after your spiritual needs and taking you to Mass on Sunday.
If they had neglected to see that you were clean, had suitable clothes, eat some sort of nourishing food, get some education and cross the road safely, they would have been visited by social services and given a care plan so that you could be healthy and safe.
And you are complaining because they took responsibility for your eternal life?
In this context, it is relevant to quote again the classic:
Ten reasons why I never wash
1. I was forced to as a child.
2. People who wash are hypocrites – they think they are cleaner than everybody else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can’t decide which one is best.
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped.
5. I wash only on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I’ll start washing when I get older and dirtier.
8. I can’t spare the time.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter or cool enough in summer.
10. People who make soap are only after your money.
4 comments:
Sometimes the simplest explanations are best. My Grandpa would have said, "They're just sorry...no better than goats."
A great comparison! Sadly, if these folks' parents hadn't 'forced' them to go to Mass, they would now be saying 'I don't go to Mass because my parents didn't make a big deal over it -- I just wasn't raised to be a churchgoer.' Excuses for all occasions and all situations!
Over Christmas I asked a younger sibling who is now 37yrs old why he left the Church and why he doesn't go back.
He recounted a story about when he was 13/14 yrs old he walked home from the church in protest instead of attending Mass. He said that he arrived at home at the same time as the family which stayed, attended Mass, then drove home.
When asked why now he sdoesn't return, he paused and said that he has a tomultous relationship whith God. I asked why. He said that he had read once about someone's else's anger at God because of WWII atrocities. I asked what that had to do with him.
Then our conversation was interrupted by family coming and going...
People hang on to teenage rebellion way too long, then just take the 'easy' way of not bothering.
Know what the difference is between socks and excuses? You can't always find a matching sock.
When it comes down to it I go because I am a mean and contrary person. I have had the blessing of having to hide attending Mass in Middle Eastern countries and people in the West mocking me for my faith. So I go when I am bout done with tolerating them. I do end up 'going in peace'. It would be a lie to say that cleansing lasts very long, so, to continue the idea of the thread, I need to bathe periodically.
rcg
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