written by Fr. Lawrence Adamczyk:
Mass Exodus: Leaving Mass After Receiving Holy Communion
While not as bad as missing Mass, leaving Mass immediately after receiving Holy Communion is still very disrespectful to your Spouse. Again, let’s use the analogy of Jesus the Bridegroom and the Church as His spouse. Leaving immediately after receiving Holy Communion, screams that you really do not understand what has just happened.
You have just received the God of the Universe, the One who created you, the One who died on the cross for you, the Eternal, the Almighty God into your heart and soul and you don’t even stop to say “thank you” to your spouse. You cannot have a deep personal intimate relationship with the one who loves you more then you can ever know, if you leave as soon as YOU get what YOU want. I have fallen madly and passionately in love with the God of the universe.
I have been a priest for about 8 years. You know what breaks my heart? For more than 8 years now, I have been standing at the back of the church greeting people as they leave Mass. It breaks my heart when people leave Mass right after receiving Holy Communion; and it is not because as St. Paul says that “we must render an account.” It breaks my heart because of the Book of Wisdom, “I…deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; because all gold, in view of her is a little sand.” Maybe it is because I am a priest, that I feel so heart broken that people do not reverence the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Do they not know that after receiving Holy Communion, they are a walking tabernacle? What can be so important that one would not spend a few moments in thanksgiving for receiving the Almighty God into your very being?
But the rich young man, “went away sad, for he had many possessions” which were apparently more important to him that following Jesus. By our Baptism, we are all called to that intimate and personal love that God has for each one of us, it cannot be that only the priest has a deep and personal relationship with God. Fr. Pedro Aruppe, one time superior General of the Jesuits is quoted as saying, “Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.” Remember love is not about feeling or emotions; love is not about sex; love is about the choice to sacrifice for the good of the other.
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