Why Skipping Sunday Mass Is a Serious Sin... Even If You're "A Nice Person" (The Patrick Madrid Show - 7/22)

On The Patrick Madrid Show, Michelle from Kentucky asks: “If someone skips Mass but still does works of mercy, are they still in mortal sin? That just seems harsh.” Patrick’s answer: deliberately missing Sunday Mass without a serious reason is a grave sin.  Why Missing Mass Matters The Catechism and Scripture agree that when you skip Mass, you’re saying “no” to the family meal Christ Himself established -- the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Patrick explains it this way: works of mercy are good, but goodness alone does not save us. If it did, the Cross wouldn’t have been necessary. Our charity only becomes eternally fruitful when it flows from grace, and that grace is nourished in the Eucharist. Biblical Foundation - “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) - “He who hears you hears me.” (Luke 10:16) - “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) When the Church obliges us to attend Mass, it’s Christ’s own authority at work. The Family Dinner Analogy Patrick compares Sunday worship to a family dinner. If your parents say, “Be at the table at 6,” and one child decides to eat alone, that child disconnects from the family. Skipping Mass does the same to your spiritual family. God’s Invitation Home Patrick stresses that God isn’t trying to “catch” us in sin. Instead, He constantly pours out grace and invites us back through Confession and the Eucharist. Like the father of the prodigal son, He longs for our return. Key Takeaway Being kind is not enough. We need Sunday Mass because we need Christ. The Eucharist is the heart of our faith, the place where we are joined to Jesus and to one another. If you’ve drifted, the call is simple: go to Confession, come back to Mass, and take your place at the table prepared for you. The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.