I went to Mass...Yay!

[theculturewarrior]

It sounds like you found a good parish! That's wonderful.

It took me a long time to "get" this, maybe because I was unchurched prior to my entry into the Church, but that feeling, it seems to me, comes from the Tabernacle. I've driven myself half mad with despair over the lack of respect some Catholics have for the Real Presence in the Eucharist (which sometimes comes out at church, with distractions and rudeness. Yeah, Catholics are not to be put on a pedestal. ) But everytime I go to mass...I get that supernatural sense of Joy. I'm uniting myself to the Cross and Resurrection. And at Adoration or Mass... I can point to it. I can see its source. I can pin point it on the one hand, and on the other hand it is too big for my brain.

It might be hard to understand for somebody from a different background, but the Joy of adoring and partaking in the Eucharist is without a doubt the most beautiful thing in my life.

[+joyfulnoise+]

+M

Oh yes! I agree with all of you! Mass is such a amazingly special gift that God
gave us through Jesus' passion and sacrifice. Because of this we are truly
able to [i]physically[/i] receive Jesus into our bodies in the form of the most
Holy Eucharist! How cool is that?! He shares in our humanity as we share
in His Divinity! Oh, and Honour, I would def. recommend Eucharistic Adoration.
It is the closest you can get to Christ besides receiving Him in Communion...one of the things about Adoration is there aren't really any rules as far as the Holy ritual of the Mass goes. You may simply go and be....
in His presence..you may pray a rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, read Sacred Scripture, or some inspirational book (currently, my choice is the autobiography of St Therese, Story of a Soul<---good stuff!! )...or you needn't say anything. Truly place yourself in the presence of Christ and let Him work on your soul. Sometimes words are simply not necessary, or sufficient for that matter.

Oh, and just a little bit about genuflecting... you genuflect towards the tabernacle or the alter (like HSM said, the 'red light')when Jesus is present that way. However, when Jesus is exposed in the monstrance in Adoration,(monstrar=to show) it a sign of greater respect to genuflect and bow down on both knees (unless you are physically unable to or something)...its awesome stuff, really!!
---keep praying and learning! prayers for you!

+LoVeInChRiSt
ErikaTherese+

[Mickey's_Girl]

[quote name='Honour' date='Apr 26 2005, 09:08 PM'] I've never been to adoration...but I was really surprised at the reverence that I saw just at mass.  Its like you [i]feel[/i] that everyone is worshiping from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave.  At protestant churches I've been to in the past, the only time you get that feeling is when your singing praise songs, or during the "invitation".  I like it.  And the church feels like a place that is always holy, somewhere where you can always go to meet God.  Other churches people sit around and gossip while their kids run and play in the sanctuary before and after church. [/quote]
LOL! I TOTALLY hear what you are saying! I'd never have considered coming to pray in my old church, when church wasn't in session. I mean, why? It was just a building. Now I think about my church (aka, Jesus being there) nearly every day, even if I don't get over there to pray. We are blessed to have a (nearly-) Perpetual Adoration chapel in my parish, so I have two prayer options!

Adoration is AWESOME. I've heard this description before, and it perfectly describes it for me: "I look at Jesus, and he looks at me back. I love him, and he loves me back." It's pretty cool!!!

GENUFLECTING: I was told that you are supposed to bend your right knee to touch the ground when you genuflect in front of the tabernacle (unless the Host isn't there, like in Holy Week, and then you bow, I think). As far as I understand, making the sign of the cross during genuflection is optional. I like doing it, but I don't always.

MG

Edited April 27, 2005 by Mickey's_Girl

[MichaelFilo]

I genuflect to the Altar, because it is blessed (and is a holy thing then, being an Altar of the Lord). Of course, if the Tabranacle is there, that is what I genuflect to. Back in olden days, the Altar and other holy objects were treated with such great reverance, and I've tried to keep it thus.

I think you guys lucked out. I wish the Church near my house was as reverant as the one you attend sounds . Of course, God calls His Children without misleading them.

Adoration is one of the most beautiful things ever. Attend it after Mass whenever possible. Adoration is truely the pinnacle of outside-of-Mass worship. Having a rosary around for prayer is also a favorite of the Saints. I wish every Church would embrace perpetual Adoration. Anyways, enough praising of Adoration, if you haven't been, get going .

God bless,
Mikey

[Honour]

[quote name='MichaelFilo' date='May 9 2005, 09:57 PM'] Anyways, enough praising of Adoration, if you haven't been, get going .
[/quote]
There have been several times when I really have felt like I need to "go and meet with Jesus". For me this is really strange, because I was to believe in the real presence, but I'm not really sure that I do. There is a perpetual adoration at this church I went to a couple of times, but I am a little afraid, I really had to work up a lot of nerve to go to mass, cause I didn't know what to do. Adoration is scarier because it is more personal. It also seems like it is harder to understand what the "rules" are, because every church is set up different.
It seems a little strange that I don't want to go because I'm afraid I would accidently disrespect Jesus, yet I don't believe Jesus is there. Sure I don't.

[Mickey's_Girl]

It *seems* like there should be "rules" about adoration, but there aren't, really (except, be respectful: don't be loud, don't run up and touch the host--pretty obvious stuff).

I wouldn't worry about "disrespecting" Jesus (even though you only "sort of" think he's really there). He knows you mean to be respectful, and adoration isn't the same as Mass, where specific things have to happen to make it "proper". As others have said, you can pray, read, think, write, etc.

If you don't know what to do, just go and pray. Often it takes me a few minutes to let the outside world drift away, and that's okay. If you sit there long enough, wanting to meet with Jesus, you'll meet him.

Faith is a gift of God, anyway. If you saw the poll I did a while ago, about *how* people came to believe in the Real Presence (all at once, or gradually), you will find that LOTS of people take time to really grasp the concept. Belief in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist certainly doesn't make "sense" in the natural mindset. One can't "will" oneself to believe. However, with an open heart, you will eventually come to know the truth.

If nothing else, stop worrying about "how much" you believe, and just go sit with Jesus. He'll meet you there, even if you don't "feel" like you believe. Hey--you managed to make it to Mass! You can manage Adoration.

I'm praying for you.

MG