Bloody noses. Arguments over who gets the preferred book. A boxing match stalled. Sensory meltdowns.

You’ve arrived to the front row circus . . . ahem, pew in my parish where I sit with my husband and four boys, Sunday after Sunday. You might think with shenanigans such as these I might want to duck for cover and stay at home for a few weeks or months. And you might be right.

Even before having kids, there were Sundays I would truthfully rather roll over and get an extra hour of sleep or leisurely enjoy my cup of coffee. However, over the years, in spite of, or perhaps because of the added sacrifice of bringing occasionally unruly children along, I have come to appreciate the love God has for us in the Mass and His desire for me to be there.

The Church in her wisdom does require us to attend weekly Sunday Mass and Holy Days of obligation. But it is purely out of love, out of knowing what is best for our souls, like the true Mother that she is. In keeping that constant in our life, we have the beautiful gift of re-centering our busy lives every week to what truly matters.

God’s not a scorekeeper—He doesn’t sit in Heaven keeping tally on how many Catholic rules we break; instead, His desire FOR us is reconciliation. The Sabbath was created for us, not the other way around. We can choose to look with joy to reuniting with Jesus in the Eucharist the way His heart does over us. May we receive the Sabbath as a gift and not as a burden, living our lives to honor Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.

[bctt tweet="I have come to appreciate the love God has for us in the Mass and His desire for me to be there." username="blessedisshe__"]

Remember what the Catechism says about the Sabbath? Brush up on it here.

Sarah Ortiz is a Catholic convert, wife, and mother to four boys while living in a 200-year-old farmhouse. When not folding laundry, she can be found reading, experimenting in the kitchen, or snagging amazing antique furniture deals. You can find out more about her here.