Of all my life, I've never missed a Sunday Mass. It's where I recharge my energy to face another week, where I come to visit my heavenly Father to thank Him for having been there and taking care of me for the last week, and ask Him for guidance for the next week. I go when it shines or rains, when I feel like going and when I don't feel like going. When planning my vacation over a weekend long, the first thing I searched for is the local Church & its Mass time, for I can't immagine not being able to attend Mass on Sunday when I can. Just like in any relationships, i think it takes not only faith, but perseverance to stay in a close relationship with the Lord! & what a better way to tell someone you truly do love Him than visiting Him every week without fail?
As for praying, I do that not only once a day, but many times a day. Praying to me is a 2-way conversation with God. Most of the time I talk, He listens, but many times I just shut up my racing thoughts & listen. In the quietness of my soul, I'm comforted by the fact that God is always there with me & for me. He never fails to answer my prayer, as I've always feel better, and stronger to face whatever I'm praying for or about - more so than when I first enter the conversation.
But be careful, going to Church every week & pray every day does NOT mean one's a good Christian, because according to Jesus, just going (like a robot) & just praying (absent-mindedly) are not enough. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but
only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers." (Mt 7:21-23)
Luckily for us we don't have to guess what Jesus meant..
"Everyone who
listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined." (Mt. 7: 24-27)
Another time, Jesus said
this (Mark 4:3-32). Different parables, same meaning.
So, to answer your question, I would say I'm an average Catholic, who devotedly try to maintain a close relationship with the Lord by being mindful of her daily actions for I and the way I live my life may be the only Bible that others ever read.
And that is a huge responsibility God's entrusted in each and every Christians!
