The First Tablet 

A few months ago, I was at a (non-parishioner’s) wedding reception and found myself in a conversation with a group of people I knew, but not very well. The conversation took place at that point in the evening when guests suddenly feel relaxed enough to freely share their opinions on politics and religion. In due course my interlocutors started to ask me questions, all of which began with the phrase: “Is it really a sin…?” To their dismay, most of the things they asked me about were, in fact, sins. One, clearly vexed by my answer in the affirmative to her question, protested that intentionally missing Sunday Mass couldn’t possibly be a grave sin – certainly not as serious as killing someone. So, I had to remind her that both violated the 10 Commandments and that the Church clearly teaches that, without a serious reason (e.g., illness, care for an infant), missing Sunday Mass is a very serious sin (Catechism, #2181). Still, I don’t think she was convinced. 

Reflecting on that conversation later, I found myself thinking about the story of the rich young man from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 19:16-22). In it, the young man approaches Our Lord, asking Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments, and the man asks, “Which ones?” So, Our Lord lists the familiar commandments: “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your mother and father, love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man responds: “All these I have observed. What still do I lack?” The Lord tells him that if he would be perfect, he first must sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and then follow Him. But the man goes away sad, for he had many possessions.   

If we examine the commandments listed by Christ in His exchange with the rich young man, we notice they are those found on the second tablet of the Law, the ones pertaining to relationships with one’s neighbor. These the young man has succeeded in following. He is, to all appearances, a good person. Yet, he cannot accept the conditions of discipleship given by Christ, for he loved his possessions more than he loved the Lord, a violation of the commandments found on the first tablet of the Law, pertaining to our relationship with God. It would be a mistake, however, to conclude that this is just about the failure to observe a rule. Here the sin is the failure to love the Lord above all things, to treat creatures as more loveable than the Creator. As creatures affected by Original Sin, this is a perennial temptation for us. Thus, we require a rule to act as a bulwark against our tendency towards idolatry, the sin of the rich young man. Nowhere in the Scriptures or Sacred Tradition does the Lord command us to be “good people.” He commands us to love – to love Him above all things and our neighbor as ourselves. Upon this our salvation depends, and we need His grace and mercy to follow these commands.  

So, if you have missed Sunday Mass without a genuinely serious reason, seek out the tender mercy of Christ in confession, and begin again. For it is right and just to worship the Lord. As an act of love, it disposes our hearts to love Him. And unless we come to know and love Him in this life, we run the risk of discovering in our encounter with Him when we die that we have given our hearts to something other than God. And we will go away sad on that day. 

posted 9/27/25