"I arrived just seven minutes late, but the priest was already
preaching. My wife wasn't well that morning, but wanted to get to Mass
later if she felt better, and that evening I waited until the last
moment to leave home. They must have shot through the beginning of the
Mass, because from past experience I expected to get there in time for
the Gospel, and therefore be able to receive Communion. . . .
"I recently found that Catholic theologians and canon lawyers avoid giving a definite point at which the latecomer should stay in his pew when everyone else goes up to receive Our Lord. But they imply a rule, and, if anything, it's a stricter one. They don't allow you to show up any time and go forward. We need some rule because we must obey another one: We must go to Mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation, unless we really can't or shouldn't.
"I really appreciate having a rule, even if it's not closely defined. Many Catholics I know don't. They grew up with too many rules, some of them really bizarre, and have had enough rules for a lifetime, thank you very much - which I understand. It’s hard to escape one's childhood formation. The Church has other gifts for them."
In a recent commentary, David Mills, Senior Editor of The Stream, reflected on how having a rule, even if it's not closely defined, is a great gift, one that makes the Christian life easier.
National Catholic Register: Blogs: David Mills: A Convert Considers the Joy of Catholic Rules (9 MAR 22)
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