If you've ever wondered why the Church requires a Sunday obligation to attend Mass — even when you're doing other good things like feeding the poor or being kind — this conversation is for you.

On The Patrick Madrid Show, Michelle from Kentucky calls in with a question:

“If someone skips Mass but still does works of mercy, are they still in mortal sin? That just seems... harsh.”

Patrick responds with some Holy Spirit–fueled clarity and compassion. 

According to Church teaching (and backed up by Scripture), deliberately missing Sunday Mass without a serious reason (illness, caring for someone sick, dangerous travel, etc.) is a grave sin.

Why? Because it’s saying "no" to a relationship.

🛑 You're choosing to ignore Jesus' invitation to the most important family gathering of the week: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

🙋 But What If You're a Really Nice Person?

Michelle asks, “What about people who are super kind and charitable but don’t go to Mass?”

Patrick said: Being nice is good, but it’s not salvific. 

If goodness alone could save us, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to die on the Cross.

Works of mercy done in a state of grace (in union with Christ) are eternally meritorious.

Apart from grace, they’re nice, not saving. 

📖 Jesus Was Pretty Clear

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
“He who hears you hears me; he who rejects you rejects me.” (Luke 10:16)
“No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus established His Church with real authority. When the Church says, “Go to Mass every Sunday,” you're being obedient to Christ’s own command.

🏡 The Family Dinner Analogy (So Good)

Patrick compares Sunday Mass to a family dinner: Imagine your parents say, “Everyone needs to be at the table at 6pm.” If one kid says, “Eh, I’ll just eat in my room,” they're disconnecting from the family. That’s what skipping Mass does. It breaks the spiritual family bond.

🙏 God's Not Looking to Smite You

Patrick explains that God isn’t standing there like, “Ha! Gotcha!” In fact, He’s constantly pouring out grace, constantly inviting us back — especially through Confession and the Eucharist. ❤️

Patrick reminds you that Jesus said some hard truths, but He says them out of love. He wants you home for dinner, forever.

✝️ Real Talk:

If you’ve been skipping Mass... come home. 🙌
Go to Confession.
Get back in the pew.
And the Father is always watching for the prodigal child to return. 💛

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.

If you've ever wondered why the Church requires a Sunday obligation to attend Mass &mdash; even when you're doing other good things like feeding the poor or being kind &mdash; this conversation is for you.
On The Patrick Madrid Show, Michelle from Kentucky calls in with a question:
<blockquote data-start="398" data-end="512">
&ldquo;If someone skips Mass but still does works of mercy, are they still in mortal sin? That just seems... harsh.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Patrick responds with some Holy Spirit&ndash;fueled clarity and compassion.&nbsp;
<hr data-start="705" data-end="708">
According to&nbsp;Church teaching (and backed up by Scripture), deliberately missing Sunday Mass without a serious reason (illness, caring for someone sick, dangerous travel, etc.) is a grave sin.
Why?&nbsp;Because&nbsp;it&rsquo;s saying "no" to a relationship.
🛑 You're choosing to ignore Jesus' invitation to the most important family gathering of the week: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
<hr data-start="1196" data-end="1199">
🙋 But What If You're a Really Nice Person?
Michelle asks, &ldquo;What about people who are super kind and charitable but don&rsquo;t go to Mass?&rdquo;
Patrick said: Being nice is good, but it&rsquo;s not salvific.&nbsp;
If goodness alone could save us, Jesus wouldn&rsquo;t have needed to die on the Cross.
Works of mercy done in a state of grace (in union with Christ) are eternally meritorious.
Apart from grace, they&rsquo;re nice, not saving.&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1725" data-end="1728">
📖 Jesus Was Pretty Clear
<blockquote data-start="1761" data-end="1973">
&ldquo;If you love me, you will keep my commandments.&rdquo; (John 14:15) &ldquo;He who hears you hears me; he who rejects you rejects me.&rdquo; (Luke 10:16) &ldquo;No one comes to the Father except through me.&rdquo; (John 14:6)
</blockquote>
Jesus established His Church with real authority. When the Church says, &ldquo;Go to Mass every Sunday,&rdquo; you're being obedient to Christ&rsquo;s own command.
<hr data-start="2143" data-end="2146">
🏡 The Family Dinner Analogy (So Good)
Patrick compares Sunday Mass to a family dinner:&nbsp;Imagine your parents say, &ldquo;Everyone needs to be at the table at 6pm.&rdquo;&nbsp;If one kid says, &ldquo;Eh, I&rsquo;ll just eat in my room,&rdquo; they're disconnecting from the family. That&rsquo;s what skipping Mass does. It breaks the spiritual family bond.
<hr data-start="2601" data-end="2604">
🙏 God's Not Looking to Smite You
Patrick explains that God isn&rsquo;t standing there like, &ldquo;Ha! Gotcha!&rdquo;&nbsp;In fact, He&rsquo;s constantly pouring out grace, constantly inviting us back &mdash; especially through Confession and the Eucharist. ❤️
Patrick reminds you that Jesus said some hard truths, but He says them out of love. He wants you home for dinner, forever.
<hr data-start="3468" data-end="3471">
✝️ Real Talk:
If you&rsquo;ve been skipping Mass... come home. 🙌 Go to Confession. Get back in the pew. And the Father is always watching for the prodigal child to return. 💛
<hr>
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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