Can’t I Worship Him Anywhere?
Fr. Aric Aamodt
I get this question more and more from engaged couples looking to have their weddings somewhere other than in the church building, but we can ask ourselves this question for Mass too. If God is everywhere, can’t I go experience Him walking through the woods, or at the restaurant, or simply at home? Why do I have to go to the church?
I could answer by quoting Church law: “The Eucharistic celebration is to be carried out in sacred place, unless in a particular case necessity requires otherwise; in which case the celebration must be in a fitting place” (can. 932 §1). Churches and chapels are sacred places set aside exclusively for the worship of and encounter with God. These are the places where all of the People of God can – indeed, have a right – to come to encounter, receive, and worship Jesus in the Sacraments and in prayer. This is why the Church gives a law that the Eucharist, and as far as possible all of the Sacraments, be celebrated in the church building.
This answer doesn’t satisfy many people today, though. I can’t just point to the authority of Church law to convince people. So I turn to the example that another priest gives: “There is water all throughout the atmosphere; but when I want a drink I need to go to a well.” Yes, God’s presence is in all places, but when He wants to give Himself to us He comes to a particular place. He did so in the person of Jesus, Who people could only encounter in that place where He happened to be. After the Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God truly fills the whole world, but just like when we’re thirsty we go to a specific place where we can get water to drink, when we want to have that deep, life-changing, personal encounter with our God, we go to a specific place. God led us to establish these specific, sacred places in churches and chapels to be those wells that we go to when we are in need of the mercy and love of God. We know that when we come to this place, God is here. In the natural world, it can be difficult to see how God is present, or how nature can lead us to encounter the love of God. The church building is meant to lead us directly into this encounter with God and His merciful love.
Water is everywhere, but when we’re thirsty we go to a specific place for a drink. God is everywhere, but when we need or desire Him we go to a specific place where He is waiting for us, and where that place will help lead us directly into what we need to receive from Him.