Here in the Northeast of the United States, I often observe that, in many communities, Catholics focus on the rules of Catholicism. Therefore, a priest may often hear such questions as, “If I go to a wedding on Saturday Night, will it count for Sunday Morning?” These and similar questions, although well meaning, demonstrate a need to strengthen the communal aspect of our faith. Catholicism is about living Christ’s call for us to be a people who are those who manifest his presence on Earth. St. Paul reminds us that we are ambassadors for Christ. When we reduce our faith to just living the standard of the rules, we do not manifest our faith well.

Jesus gave us two rules “Love God” and “Love Neighbor”. Our faith needs to be based in giving and receiving love to and from God and to and from the community. When this happens our faith grows, when it does not our faith stagnates. The Old Prophets especially Ezekiel called the Jewish Community to not live a faith that was more than just following rules and nothing else: a faith of just going through the motions.

I am inspired by those Catholic communities that have passion. Let us pray this year that we may grow in that passion, especially where a rule based Catholicism is more prevalent. Remember, rules are the minimum standard. Christ calls us to go to the Maximum.

Oh by the way, the wedding actually does not count as fulfilling your Sunday obligation because you have not worshipped the Sunday Mass with the community to which we are called. If you base your faith on just following rules, that previous sentence may frustrate you. If you understand the communal aspect of our faith, then you will mostly likely fully appreciate the call to committment to the community at Sunday (or Saturday Vigil) mass.