Chapter 7 - Eat at Home

At this point I still struggled theologically but knew in my heart what the Bible clearly tells us. The Church began in a house, ministering to Jesus, and we are now the Body of Christ. I began to think this would lead to a massive increase in the number of priests, if we began to include to women. I foresaw a radical new way to celebrate Mass, in homes, instead of churches.

For awhile, I was content believing I had found the loophole. A Biblical justification that women have access to the priesthood.

Jesus taught in the synagogues, but dined at home with Zachaeus, tax collectors, Lazarus, His Apostles. He taught in buildings to some, but dined at home with friends. I began to see that the problems we have in the church, are symptomatic of the corruption which plagues the world... we've come so far since the time Jesus walked on earth, but yet we've ended up with a worldly church. The more I thought about women celebrating the Mass in their own homes, in the freedom and safety of their own house, the more I believed that the Church might actually have hope.

Then I stumbled across a most interesting Scripture, and I realized, maybe Paul isn't really my opponent.

Paul says in a letter, "Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper ; and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in?" 1 Corinthians 11 : 17-22

Paul is explicitly instructing us to receive communion AT HOME !! And not with the assemblies of the brethren, for it is a private act of faith to consume the Lord's Body and Blood in a worthy manner. Jesus even gave us this exact strategy !

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Mathew 6 : 5-6

I began to envision women all around the world, celebrating Mass, so many offerings made by so many women around the world. It would be so astounding to think of the Father looking from heaven upon all these women ! "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Mathew 5 : 3-11