Brother Adam Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 The two liturgical actions during the Church year that have a greater effect on me than any others are the stripping of the altar and when the priests prostrate themselves. I'd have to say the stripping of the altar more than anything else. The weight and the realization of the fact that our sin crucified the Christ hits home more at that time than any other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintwannabe 777 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 [quote name='Brother Adam' post='1830407' date='Apr 9 2009, 11:30 PM']The two liturgical actions during the Church year that have a greater effect on me than any others are the stripping of the altar and when the priests prostrate themselves. I'd have to say the stripping of the altar more than anything else. The weight and the realization of the fact that our sin crucified the Christ hits home more at that time than any other.[/quote] For me its the Good Friday dropping of the nail into the basket and kissing the cross. I broke down and cried last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sojourner Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I am right there with you. Mass tonight was absolutely beautiful. I actually got a little verklempt during the stripping of the altar, and that hasn't happened in a LONG time. I think it helped that I went to confession today for the first time in too long so I was primed to feel a bit of heightened emotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Covering of the crucifix always makes me cry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 (edited) I had a really hard time stemming the flow of tears tonight. Mass was a total event - from the washing of feet and the presentation of the oils that were blessed Monday night by our Bishop - and the hosts that had been made by our catuchumens - almost like Lebanese flat bread - which just seemed sweet somehow. Then after Mass we had three hours of Adoration. I wanted to "stay awake" with Jesus during His agony so I spent most of the time on my knees to avoid getting too comfortable and falling asleep like the disciples. I wanted to comfort Him but I didn't know how, so I figured that the least I could do would be to stay awake with Him! I would occasionally get overwhelmed by His presence, and tears would roll down my cheeks - sniff sniff. Then at midnight, when the priest came to take Our Lord away, I just had this flash of the guards coming to take Jesus away to his Passion and Death, and it was too much for me -- and then I really did start to cry, especially when I got back into the car to go home! I am so glad that this isn't the end of the story - and that He comes back again! Like saintwannabe - the other thing that really sets me off is the veneration of the Cross - I always cry when I kiss it! There is so much beauty in the liturgy - we are just blessed in so many ways! Thanks be to God! Edited April 10, 2009 by nunsense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apotheoun Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 In the Byzantine Churches the veneration of the Holy Shroud takes place on Good Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I really want to go last nght, but I had 15 pounds of screaming female who disagreed with me. I am most affected at the end of Mass when we sing "Jesus remember me" without accompaniment until everyone has left the church, and it is silent. People run home and quickly eat, and the 7 church walk begins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cefrybar Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Holy Thursday mass for me always hits home. Especially when we begin to sing the pange lingua and they begin to process out of the church with Christ...it always makes me cry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bus Station Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Holy Week is awesome. Each year, our Bishop Emeritus is the principal celebrant for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil at my parish and Christ just shines through him. He's eighty-something years old and I think he has the most passion for Christ of any priest I've ever seen; his love for Christ really comes through in his homilies, and afterward I am filled with a real passionate desire to receive Our Lord, and when I do receive the Eucharist it's almost overwhelming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I did a brilliant job of keeping my British stiff upper lip in place whilst venerating the Cross this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilde Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 It's all been great for me. It's my fire baptizm with the choir, because I started last week and i have been singing almost every day. I loved the procession on Sunday. I got to wear a red cape and walk in the front. On Tuesday was the blessing of the oils and, wow, was there a lot of priests there. The whole region behind the altar was full of priests. And then they did the prayer for cathecumens and upcoming confirmands, which of course hit home with me. Yesterday, the sermon was by the bishop. He talked a little about unity and some of the challenges lately with the sspx and all that. Yesterday is kind of a blur actually, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because we sort of celebrate Holy Thursday every day. Today was special with the kissing of the cross, and them singing the whole story of JX's suffering. And then the impropria, which we sang with four voices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sojourner Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 The service this afternoon was really beautiful. I love all the singing, and the fact that there are no instruments brings the words into such sharp focus. We have some really talented singers in our archdiocese, I have to say. One particularly moving moment from last night was the stripping of the altar. The church was completely blackened, and a reader intoned Psalm 22 as the altar was divested of adornment. The choir provided light background accompaniment. It was extremely moving and obviously lovingly done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Tonight we did the Veneration of the Cross, obviously...and it hit me as I stared at the Crucifix as others went forward; a year ago I never would have gone forward to kiss His foot. While it was moving, it was definitely um...awkward. Father raised it up to level to my lips while I was bending to kiss and I nearly ate Christ's foot. It didn't take away from how beautiful the moment was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resurrexi Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 The Good Friday reproaches are very moving to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Resurrexi' post='1832059' date='Apr 11 2009, 02:37 PM']The Good Friday reproaches are very moving to me.[/quote] You are so right - and I just realized that our parish didn't have the reproaches this year. We had a chanted version of the Passion narrative which was beautiful, and the veneration of the Cross of course - so moving always, but no reproaches. Thank you for reminding me. I love the reproaches. [i]My people, What have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me! I led you out of Egypt; but you led your Savior to the Cross. For forty years I led you safely through the desert, I fed you with manna from heaven, and brought you to the land of plenty; but you led your Savior to the Cross. O, My people! What have I done to you that you should testify against me?[/i] Edited April 11, 2009 by nunsense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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