Episode Summary
Why should you go to Mass if the Catholics you know seem hypocritical? What if they go to church every week but live in ways that contradict what they believe?
In this episode of Ask a Priest, Fr. Tim explains that the failures of individual Catholics do not disprove Christianity or remove our own need for Christ. Catholics are not supposed to come to Mass because they have already become perfect. We come because we need God, but also because God deserves our worship and calls His people to gather.
At Mass, Catholics hear the Word of God, participate in Christ’s sacrifice, encounter Him in the Eucharistic celebration, and are formed together as His Church. Fr. Tim compares the spiritual life to someone learning how to swim: struggling does not mean the person does not belong there. In the same way, Christians can still be in real need of conversion while continuing to come to Mass.
That does not mean hypocrisy or serious sin should be minimized. Jesus strongly condemns hypocrisy, especially outward religious appearance without genuine interior conversion. The failures of Christians can also cause real scandal and make it harder for others to see the truth and beauty of the Gospel.
Fr. Tim ultimately challenges us to stop measuring faith primarily by the failures of other people. Instead of asking, “Am I good enough to go to Mass?” he points to a deeper question: “Is Jesus there?”
Episode Transcript
[00:00:00 –> 00:00:02] Why incense? Why incense at mass?
[00:00:02 –> 00:00:05] Why incense in the Catholic Church? What’s it all about?
[00:00:05 –> 00:00:08] (gentle music)
[00:00:09 –> 00:00:10] I remember when I was in college,
[00:00:10 –> 00:00:13] one of my friends asked the priest,
[00:00:13 –> 00:00:14] “Why do we do incense?
[00:00:14 –> 00:00:16] It smells horrible. It’s annoying.
[00:00:16 –> 00:00:18] I cough every time I smell incense.”
[00:00:18 –> 00:00:20] And the priest responded,
[00:00:20 –> 00:00:23] “It’s either incense in heaven or sulfur in hell.
[00:00:23 –> 00:00:24] Get used to it.”
[00:00:24 –> 00:00:27] Probably not the best way of evangelizing,
[00:00:27 –> 00:00:30] but the Book of Revelation talking about the angels
[00:00:30 –> 00:00:34] incensing the Father, incensing the Son, the Holy Spirit,
[00:00:34 –> 00:00:35] that within heaven,
[00:00:35 –> 00:00:39] there’s a glorification of the Lord with incense.
[00:00:39 –> 00:00:41] Incense was in the Old Testament.
[00:00:41 –> 00:00:42] It was in the New Testament.
[00:00:42 –> 00:00:43] It’s part of our tradition.
[00:00:43 –> 00:00:44] But for us as Catholics,
[00:00:44 –> 00:00:48] we are so earthy and so tangible and so physical.
[00:00:48 –> 00:00:50] We love this stuff.
[00:00:50 –> 00:00:52] For incense, we have the thurible,
[00:00:52 –> 00:00:56] metal from the Earth, handcrafted by human beings.
[00:00:56 –> 00:00:59] We have the charcoal from wood.
[00:00:59 –> 00:01:03] We have the incense, which is resin from trees.
[00:01:03 –> 00:01:04] It’s all glorifying the Father,
[00:01:04 –> 00:01:06] the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:01:06 –> 00:01:08] Well, Francis talked about incense at mass,
[00:01:08 –> 00:01:11] how awesome it is because we get ready for the hallelujah.
[00:01:11 –> 00:01:13] The Book of the Gospels is incensed.
[00:01:13 –> 00:01:16] It’s basically saying, get ready to hear from the king.
[00:01:16 –> 00:01:18] The king is about to speak.
[00:01:18 –> 00:01:20] Then we have incense at the offertory
[00:01:20 –> 00:01:22] where the altar is incensed.
[00:01:22 –> 00:01:25] And that’s also saying, the king is coming.
[00:01:25 –> 00:01:26] Prepare for the king.
[00:01:26 –> 00:01:30] Incense reminds us that our Catholic faith is not dead.
[00:01:30 –> 00:01:34] It’s not unimpressive. It’s not boring.
[00:01:34 –> 00:01:37] It’s alive. It’s billowing out of love.
[00:01:37 –> 00:01:42] It is flowing back and forth, up to heaven, down to Earth.
[00:01:42 –> 00:01:45] It is flowing all over the place. It is alive.
[00:01:45 –> 00:01:46] What I love about the incense
[00:01:46 –> 00:01:49] is that incense comes from trees
[00:01:49 –> 00:01:54] or plants that create resin, also known as tears.
[00:01:54 –> 00:01:56] The incense pebbles themselves,
[00:01:56 –> 00:02:00] very unimpressive, very closed off, very hard.
[00:02:00 –> 00:02:05] But when placed onto hot, burning, steady coals,
[00:02:05 –> 00:02:07] the incense literally becomes alive.
[00:02:07 –> 00:02:10] Literally becomes what it’s supposed to do.
[00:02:10 –> 00:02:12] This is literally what the sacred heart of Jesus does
[00:02:12 –> 00:02:15] when we let him ignite our hearts with love.
[00:02:15 –> 00:02:17] All the saints realize this.
[00:02:17 –> 00:02:20] All of the saints were living thuribles,
[00:02:20 –> 00:02:23] where they were able to be alive
[00:02:23 –> 00:02:25] in the fire of the Holy Spirit.
[00:02:25 –> 00:02:27] God is so good. Our faith is so good.
[00:02:27 –> 00:02:29] Catholic liturgy is so good
[00:02:29 –> 00:02:32] because again, it’s taking us out of ourselves.
[00:02:32 –> 00:02:36] It’s taking us out of our unimpressive hearts.
[00:02:36 –> 00:02:38] And then we get to be ignited by the living
[00:02:38 –> 00:02:40] and the true God,
[00:02:40 –> 00:02:43] the living and the true sacred heart of Jesus.
[00:02:43 –> 00:02:46] So next time that you see incense at mass,
[00:02:46 –> 00:02:49] that’s literally what your heart will look like
[00:02:49 –> 00:02:52] when you unite it with the sacred heart of Jesus.
[00:02:52 –> 00:02:54] Love you, praying for you.
[00:02:54 –> 00:02:55] This is Spirit Juice. Peace.
[00:02:55 –> 00:02:56] You know those questions
[00:02:56 –> 00:02:58] that are tricky questions
[00:02:58 –> 00:03:02] about the faith that really stir the pot.
[00:03:02 –> 00:03:03] I want those.
[00:03:03 –> 00:03:07] Send it to [email protected]
[00:03:07 –> 00:03:09] and you might be featured on the next episode.
[00:03:09 –> 00:03:12] Spirit Juice, God Answers. Peace.
Key Takeaways
- The failures of individual Catholics do not disprove Christianity.
- Christians come to Mass as sinners who need grace, conversion, and Jesus.
- We also go to Mass because God deserves our worship and calls His people to gather.
- At Mass, Catholics hear God’s Word, participate in Christ’s sacrifice, and encounter Him in the Eucharistic celebration.
- Struggling with sin is not automatically the same thing as hypocrisy.
- Jesus condemns hypocrisy, especially outward religious appearance without genuine interior conversion.
- Serious failures by Christians can cause real scandal and make the Gospel harder for others to recognize.
- Mass is not a trophy proving that we are already holy.
- The spiritual life is not merely a self-improvement project. We cannot save or sanctify ourselves by our own power.
- Catholics are called to cooperate with God’s grace through faith, repentance, prayer, the sacraments, and works of charity.
- Christ’s relationship with each person is deeply personal, but Catholic faith is never merely private. He draws us into communion with Himself and with His Church.
- Instead of asking, “Am I good enough to go to Mass?”, Fr. Tim encourages us to ask, “Is Jesus there?”
What This Means for Prayer and Daily Life
It is easy to become discouraged by hypocrisy. You may know Catholics who attend Mass but still gossip, lie, mistreat others, persist in serious sin, or live inconsistently with what the Church teaches.
Those contradictions matter. Jesus Himself strongly condemns hypocrisy. In Matthew 23, His warning to the scribes and Pharisees is directed especially at religious leaders who present an outward appearance of righteousness while failing to live what they teach.
The answer, however, is not to assume that every Christian who struggles with sin is automatically a hypocrite.
There is a real difference between someone who is fighting against sin, repenting, and seeking conversion, and someone who deliberately maintains an outward religious appearance while refusing interior change.
Fr. Tim’s swimming analogy helps illustrate that distinction. You would not reject someone from a pool because they are still learning how to swim. Their weakness may be precisely why they need to be there.
The same is true spiritually. Someone who is living inconsistently with the Gospel still needs conversion and grace. Their presence at Mass does not make their conduct good, but it may mean that Christ is still calling them to repentance and healing.
At the same time, the failures of Christians are serious because they can cause scandal. A Catholic who publicly professes one thing and lives another can make it harder for someone else to recognize the truth and beauty of Christianity.
That is why Christians have a real responsibility to repent and strive to live what they profess. Mass should also be understood as more than spiritual therapy.
We go because we need God, but also because worship is owed to Him. At Mass, the Church gathers to hear the Word of God, participate in Christ’s sacrifice, and encounter the risen Christ in the Eucharistic celebration.
Fr. Tim’s phrase that Mass is “medicine, not a trophy” captures something important when properly understood.
Mass is not a reward for people who have already achieved holiness. It is the worship of God and a privileged place where Christ calls, nourishes, and transforms His people.
But that does not mean attending Mass makes deliberate persistence in serious sin harmless.
If someone is conscious of mortal sin, that person should still attend Mass, but should refrain from receiving Holy Communion until receiving sacramental absolution in Confession.
Grace also does not eliminate our responsibility to respond.
Fr. Tim says, “I can’t construct myself on my own.” Catholic teaching does not mean that human effort is unnecessary. Rather, we cannot save or sanctify ourselves by our own power. We must cooperate with the grace Christ gives us through faith, repentance, prayer, the sacraments, and charity.
That shifts the spiritual question away from comparison.
The question is not: “Am I better than the Catholics around me?” Nor is it simply: “Are the Catholics around me living consistently enough?”
Fr. Tim instead asks: “Is Jesus there?”
Christ’s relationship with each person is personal, but it is not isolated from the Church. He calls us into communion with Himself and with His Body.
When the failures of other Christians discourage you, bring that frustration honestly to prayer. Ask God to protect you from cynicism and self-righteous comparison, while also asking Him for the grace to live your own faith with integrity.
FAQ Section
Because the failures of individual Catholics do not determine whether Christ is present at Mass or whether Christianity is true.
Catholics come to Mass because they need God, but also because God deserves our worship and has called His people to gather.
The inconsistency of other Christians can be painful and even scandalous, but it does not remove your own need for Christ.
Not necessarily.
Christians remain sinners who need ongoing conversion. Someone who is sincerely struggling against sin, repenting, and seeking God is not automatically a hypocrite simply because he or she continues to fail.
Hypocrisy involves a deeper contradiction, especially presenting an outward appearance of righteousness while refusing the interior conversion that faith demands.
No.
The moral failure of a Christian does not logically disprove Christianity.
However, serious hypocrisy and scandal can profoundly wound others and make it harder for them to recognize the Gospel. Christians therefore have a real responsibility to repent and live consistently with what they profess.
Catholics go to Mass first to worship God.
At Mass, the Church hears God’s Word, participates in Christ’s sacrifice, gives thanks, prays as one body, and encounters the risen Christ in the Eucharistic celebration.
Mass also forms, nourishes, and calls Christians more deeply into conversion.
It is a popular saying, sometimes attributed to St. Augustine, though the attribution is uncertain.
The image expresses the idea that the Church contains people who are still in need of grace, conversion, and healing.
It should not be taken as a complete definition of the Church or as an excuse for remaining deliberately attached to serious sin.
Fr. Tim points to Matthew 23, where Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees as “whitewashed tombs.”
Jesus criticizes the contradiction between outward religious appearance and interior corruption.
His warning shows that Christianity does not excuse hypocrisy. Instead, Jesus calls His followers to genuine interior conversion and integrity.
No.
You do not earn the right to worship God by first becoming morally perfect.
Christians go to Mass precisely because they depend upon God’s grace.
At the same time, participating in Mass calls us to repentance and conversion rather than complacency about sin.
Yes. Someone conscious of mortal sin should still attend Mass.
However, a person conscious of mortal sin should not receive Holy Communion until receiving sacramental absolution in Confession, except in the extraordinary circumstances provided for by the Church.
Attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist are therefore not exactly the same question.
Get New Episodes in Your Inbox
Sign up to receive a weekly reminder when a new Ask A Priest episode is released, along with a direct link to listen.
Support Ask A Priest
Ask a Priest is free to watch, but it’s not free to produce! Generous donors make it possible for us to continue creating this content. If you enjoy Ask a Priest, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible gift. Spirit Juice Entertainment Group (SJEG) is the non-profit arm of Spirit Juice Studios. It is a 501(c)3 organization that relies on your support to continue creating original, authentically Catholic content that reaches thousands of people each week through our website and social media channels.
Start a new monthly donation and receive an array of Spirit Juice swag in gratitude for your generosity. For more information, please visit our Ask a Priest Support page.
To qualify, you must donate a minimum of $10 per month. All gifts in between will be rounded down to the nearest package amount. Please allow 6-8 weeks for your package to be shipped. Questions? Contact us at [email protected]. Your donation is tax-deductible within the United States, and we will provide a tax receipt for your records.
-
What Is The Trinity?
Have you ever looked at your past and wondered, “Could God still use someone like me?”
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim answers one of the most human questions of faith: what if my past is too messy for God? Looking at figures like David, Moses, Abraham, Peter, and Mary Magdalene, he reminds us that God has always worked through flawed people, not because of their sins, but because they had faith and let God be God.
Your past doesn’t scare Jesus. Your weakness doesn’t disqualify you. God only has flawed instruments to work with, and He can still use your life to build something holy.
You are not too far gone.
You are not too broken.
You are still called to be a saint. -
Why Is Gen Z Drawn to Pope Benedict XVI?
Why are so many young Catholics suddenly drawn to Pope Benedict XVI?
Gen Z grew up in a noisy, anxious, often confusing world—where identity, truth, and belonging can feel uncertain. Pope Benedict offered something different: a clear invitation into relationship with Jesus Christ. For him, faith was not just about rules or ideas, but about belonging to the Person of Jesus.
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explores why Pope Benedict’s message resonates so deeply with Gen Z. From beauty and sacred art to silence, adoration, clarity, and the search for truth, Benedict speaks into many of the things young people are hungry for today.
Father Tim also reflects on Benedict’s love for beauty, his fight against relativism, and his quiet life of prayer after the papacy, showing why his witness feels so compelling to a generation searching for something real.
Belonging. Beauty. Silence. Truth. Maybe that’s why Gen Z gets Benedict.
-
Rapid Fire Questions and Insights
Can someone’s suffering save souls, even if they don’t believe in God?
Is it okay to forgive someone but keep your distance?
And is it wrong to baptize grandchildren without their parents’ consent?In this Ask A Priest episode, Father Tim answers a series of real, heartfelt questions submitted by viewers. From offering suffering for loved ones, to navigating forgiveness and boundaries, to discerning the right way to care for children’s souls, this rapid-fire conversation blends Church teaching with deep pastoral wisdom.
Nothing is wasted with God.
Forgiveness doesn’t always mean reconciliation.
Zeal for souls must always walk hand-in-hand with truth and charity.If you’ve ever wrestled with complicated family, faith, or moral questions, this episode is for you.
