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One Palm Sunday I saw within my soul Our Lord's terrible cry from the cross. We who are weak can be certain that He has shared our weakness, though not our sinfulness.

Jesus enters Jerusalem in procession (Palm Sunday)

Jesus enters Jerusalem in procession (Palm Sunday)

It is a tragedy, in Christ's sight, that many Catholics are told that the Mass is simply a meal - with no mention of the Sacrifice He offered on Calvary, which is made present in our sanctuary. At Mass, we can be with Christ as He prays for us to be forgiven, just as He prayed on Calvary. It is shameful for Catholics not to bother to attend Sunday Mass.

It pleases the Lord when we celebrate the day of His Resurrection. We are right to prepare for the day, so that Sunday - our Christian Sabbath - is as far as possible restful, refreshing and joyful, in the company of those close to us, and with sufficient time for prayer and praise at Mass.

God, Who has asked us to rest for one day of each week, has given us a wise command. He knows the frailty of our nature, and our need for rest, reflection, and refreshment - and for praise and adoration in the church.

It is sensible to prepare and plan before Sunday arrives. Christ asks us to remember that Sunday is a day of rest. We should remember that it is the Lord's Day: the Christian Sabbath. Praise and thanks should be foremost in our minds, but we are wise to have some leisure, refreshment, celebration, and rest, to show out our gratitude and to fulfil God's plans for our lives. He wants us to enjoy good things, as well as to be conscientious at work during the week.

It is the Will of Christ that we treat Sunday as a holy day and a day of rest. It delights Him to see us rest from our labours and to enjoy good things that we don't have time for on normal work-days.

At the Consecration of the bread and the wine, these change into the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of Christ Who is therefore Present in our sanctuary. From our midst, He prays for sinners today, just as He once prayed from the Cross. That is why it is so important that we attend Sunday Mass, as the Church requests.

Someone who is not in perfect health, and who is undecided about going to Sunday Mass, or reluctant, should ask: "If my favourite person invited me out for a meal today, would I agree to go?" A person who is well enough to go out for a meal is well enough to go to church, to meet Christ, our best friend, and to offer the Holy Sacrifice.

It is horrible, in God's sight, that when He had sent His Son to earth, to work miracles of healing before conquering sin and death, to found a Church to bring forgiveness to sinners, and to make possible the miracle of the Mass - and when it is God Who gives to each of us in the gift of life - it is horrible that, on a Sunday, a Catholic might say, "I can't be bothered by the Mass. I want to go, for example, to something more interesting, like a garden centre". What astounding contempt for our Divine Creator.

There are tragic consequences when people misunderstand the word 'ecumenism'. Some Catholics suppose that they can go where they choose, for Sunday worship; yet whenever a minister without valid orders presides at a service, Christ is not made sacramentally Present. No Catholic should miss Mass, by choosing non-Catholic prayer instead.

We might even risk our salvation if, on Sundays or holy days, we choose to miss Mass, in order to amuse ourselves, or for trivial reasons. Unless we are caring for the sick, for example, or are ourselves sick or without transport, it is to refuse to obey the First Commandment and the Church's command. It is to act as if we have no need of the graces that Christ offers, and no need of His prayer that we achieve Salvation.