I'm Going to Mass

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Ballston Spa (across the street from my church, The First Baptist Church) is holding a very special mass and I’m going.  The Ballston Spa Life newspaper has the details about the mass:

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church will open its doors to the community on Tuesday, June 8, as part of a celebration of the lives of priests, deacons and others from the village whose legacies include being faithful to the vows of their vocations through what is being described by organizers as “tireless hidden service and universal charity.”

The event, which will include a procession in front of the historic Milton Avenue church, will mark the culmination of The Year for Priests.

The mass is an unique worship service for Catholics to celebrate “The Year for Priests.” This special mass celebrates the ministry of priests and, “to reflect with heartfelt gratitude on the immense gift which priests represent not only for the Church, but for humanity.” itself.”  This special occasion marks a 12-month period that Pope Benedict XVI declared.

So, why is a Baptist making plans to go to a Catholic Mass?  I’ll tell you why.

I have been invited. Well, not personally.  The article makes it clear that it is open to the “community.”  Our Lady Queen of Peace, who is sponsoring the event, spokeswoman Josie Uhlinger said:

We invite and encourage those of all faiths to join us on this landmark occasion.

St. Mary's in Ballston Spa

If St. Mary’s is going out of its way to communicate that everyone is invited, then I want to take the church up on its offer.  Hey, St. Mary’s is right across the street.  Here is a faith community (some at St. Marys are related to members at FBC Ballston Spa) who desires that we come.  We have certainly welcomed Catholics attending services here (Don’t tell the bishop).  Why not reciprocate?

Believe it or not, Catholics are Christ followers too.  What!?! I know what you are thinking, what about the “dangerous” beliefs of transubstantiation, the veneration of Mary and Saints, the Pope, worship of ritual, and other non-biblical beliefs?  Truly, there are doctrinal issues between Protestants and Catholics, but why can’t we try to form relationships with one another despite our theological differences?

While I was in seminary, I once asked a Catholic seminarian a few questions.  We will call him, “John.” The conversation went like this:

Me: Do you believe in Christ as your Savor?  I mean, personally.
John: Oh, yes. Very much so.
Me: Do you hold scripture higher than the teaching of the Catholic church?
John: We actually hold them equally.  I know that’s a problem for Protestants because you guys believe in scripture alone.  We see scripture and church teaching as one in the same.
Me: Yeah, that certainly is an important aspect of what most Protestants are concerned about. We hold the Bible to be the final authority of God.
John: For us, we believe that God can speak through scripture and through The Church.
Me: Interesting concept.  I guess it is a difference of understanding of how God “speaks” to us.  Certainly, that is one of the reasons why the Reformation occurred. Martin Luther and others saw situations where scripture pointed to another truth than what the Catholic Church was teaching.  I certainly have a hang ups about some Catholics beliefs… a big one is the Pope.
John: It’s funny, you Baptist boys don’t believe in the idea of the Pope, but some of your pastors act like one.
We both laugh, very hard.

True, there are huge differences between Catholics and Protestants, but there are also some similarities on essential issues (Salvation in Christ, the Trinity, virgin birth, divinity of Christ, the resurrection, Old Testament, New Testament, the identity of the family, and the value of life.)

I’m sure that Jesus knew that there would be division between Christians.  Even the disciples argued about who was the greatest!  Jesus once prayed in John 17,

As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Jesus wants us to be one, just as the Father and the Son are one.  Does that mean I’m going to become a Catholic? No.  Does that mean that I am going to receive the Eucharist tomorrow? No.  Does that mean I’ll hold an altar call outside? No… none of that.

So, why am I going to this event tomorrow? I’m going to enter into deeper relationship.  A relationship between two churches across the street from one another… No agenda. If I am really going to love my neighbor (literally in this case) as Jesus commanded, then love means we need to spend some time with others. Until the day that we all become one, we must live with people and institutions that we don’t agree completely with. But, we can’t do that unless we spend the time.  We might not be “one” now, but let’s try and see what happens.