WYD (3) : The Opening Mass, why didn't I go?

The opening Mass at WYD drew more than 140,000, more than any concert I can remember held in Sydney. What makes this party different to other parties? That it was free-admission, had 4,000 "priests", had as many nationalities as an Olympic event or had an array of popular musicians singing semi-religious sounding songs, or that there was an address by a Cardinal to exhort pilgrims to deny the "flesh"? But like other parties it had the usual elements of numbers, youth, enthusiasm, loud music, minus the usual "vices". Those who usually crave for euphoria and rave probably missed out on the biggest party ever held in Sydney. Undoubtedly, this gathering was a party and it was huge.

The point is that whatever way you dress it up, a Mass is a Mass. This makes it more than just a feel-good, energising and popular event. There is an unchanging element in Masses held by Catholics throughout centuries. The essential and unmissable moment - the climax - of any Mass is the taking of the bread and the cup, which Catholics believe to be Jesus' body and blood. People may have different understandings of and purposes in going to Mass, but essentially, there is an alleged supernatural [comm]union with the Lord Jesus Himself through Mass.

I love parties, but I don't participate in Masses. No matter how energising, uplifting, musical, popular, warming the atmosphere is, the achievement of Mass falls far short from the spiritual experience of [comm]union with the Lord Jesus, which is the alleged purpose of Mass. I could attend, sit in, stand to, listen in, eat, drink and digest all the parts of the Mass, but it won't bring me any closer to God. Because the surest way to have access to God, is by trusting in the finished work of Jesus by His death on the cross and His Resurrection from death, and after that, by following Jesus:

"Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1Peter 3:18) 

This verse is probably one of the best verses that encapsulates the fact that Jesus' death for pilgrims and non-pilgrims is effective to bring all to God. Understanding and participating in this sort of [comm]union with God, creates the euphoria, more than that, the joy that people grope, experiment and die to find. It is sublime to be able to know for sure that God forgives and loves us and that we will attend the ultimate reunion party held by the Creator, Ruler, Lord of all beauties, joys and good gifts. Jesus' Resurrection guarantees the same resurrected body and power for those in [comm]union with Him. The energy, creativity, passion and pure joy, that is afforded to those who will resurrect as Christ did, will be beyond any current experience that tries to imitate heaven.

Pilgrims, party goers, Jesus-trusting Christians all seek the same thing: participation and communion (I hope I can drop the brackets now) with the divine. I guarantee you, by the word of God, that the surest way to this experience, conviction and knowledge is found by admiring at Jesus' death on the Cross and His Resurrection for us. These two finished works of Christ, brings you forever in the company with the original and one and only awesome God. 

Skip the Mass, save your dollars, but grab your free-pass to a glorious party hosted by God, just mention the code word: "Jesus".

p.s. There are actually more to the Mass which slight the finished works of Christ. I hope to write on that a bit later. For now, I will only say that trusting in Jesus gets you closer to God than attending Mass.