8.112. Isn’t Jesus more concerned with our hearts than with what liturgy we attend?
This objection reduces religion to internal sincerity alone, disconnecting it from the visible, public, and sacrificial worship that God Himself commands. It promotes the idea that all that matters is subjective intention, regardless of whether one is worshipping God in a way that is pleasing, valid, or true.
But Scripture, tradition, and Catholic teaching make it clear: Jesus cares deeply about how we worship, because true worship must reflect true faith. A good heart is necessary—but not sufficient.
Yes, Jesus is concerned with our hearts—but He is not only concerned with our hearts. Worship is not just about how we feel—it’s about offering to God what He commands, not what we prefer. Our Lord instituted the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a specific, sacred form. That form was preserved, codified, and handed down for centuries in the Traditional Latin Mass.
By contrast, the Novus Ordo Missae (New Mass) was fabricated in the 1960s, using Protestant ideas, stripped of Catholic doctrine, and built to please man—not God. Saying “Jesus cares more about our hearts” is not an excuse to ignore what He has revealed about true worship.
| Category | Traditional Catholic View | Modernist / Novus Ordo View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worship | Offered to God in the manner He commanded, not what we feel | Based on emotion, accessibility, community experience | Worship must be God-centered, not self-centered |
| Heart & Worship | A good heart is necessary and must express itself in proper worship | Heart replaces form and truth; sincerity is all that matters | Good intentions don’t sanctify false rites or heretical liturgies |
| Mass | True Sacrifice of Calvary; Latin Mass preserves this perfectly | Communal meal or gathering; Novus Ordo obscures the sacrifice | The form of worship reflects the doctrine being expressed |
| Scriptural Basis | God is exacting in how He is worshipped (cf. Lev. 10:1–2) | God will accept any well-meaning worship | False worship was punished in Scripture, even when sincere |
| External Rites | Necessary to safeguard faith, express reverence, and receive grace | Seen as optional or cultural expressions | God gave us visible sacraments and liturgy for a reason |
| Fruits | Reverence, vocations, conversions, doctrinal clarity | Irreverence, doctrinal confusion, declining belief in Real Presence | “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) |
Summary:
Yes, Jesus wants your heart—but that heart must be formed by the truth, obedient to God’s law, and expressed in rightful worship. Otherwise, it’s just subjective emotion.
Would you say, “I love my spouse, so I’ll never visit or speak to them—but my feelings are strong”? Of course not.
Love is shown in deeds, sacrifice, and faithfulness—not in vague sincerity.
Likewise, the liturgy you attend matters, because it teaches what you believe. The Traditional Latin Mass teaches the full Catholic Faith. The Novus Ordo does not. It is a liturgy built on Protestant ideas, lacking reverence, has invalid sacraments, stripped of doctrine, and not pleasing to God, no matter how sincere the people may be.
As Pope Pius XII taught:
“The worship rendered by the Church to God must be perfect in all its elements... not left to the discretion of individuals or of communities.”
Further reading:
Mediator Dei (On the Sacred Liturgy) by Pope Pius XII (1947)