Posted on 07/31/2014 7:09:56 PM PDT by marshmallow
I hate the Sign of Peace! There, I said it.
I agree.
The most objectionable aspect about it is that it is performance by amateurs, and the people in the pews are forced to endure it.
It is important to remember what “communion” is all about. The name should give a hint.
While we must have a personal relationship with Jesus, we (as Catholics) must remember that Communion is the partaking of the Body (and Blood) of Christ not only for our own spiritual nourishment, but also for the unification of the Body of Christ, the Church, here on Earth.
This is why after I receive I still do what I did as a youth, albeit for different reasons: I watch as each communicant walks by, and try to say a special prayer for each of them, and also for myself to remember that that person and myself have just received the same Lord, and so we are one Body, that person (and that person and that and that). As each walk by I experience a unique bond with people who, outside of Mass, I may never give a second thought about.
I believe it’s important to do this. Mass isn’t just about us alone in our thoughts with Him. It’s that, and also a shadowy foretaste of what Heaven is like, which is not only perfect communion with the Father but all His children.
After all, think if it this way: if you can’t stand the thought of strangers invading your private time with Jesus for even an hour a week, just imagine what heaven will be like for you in eternity. There will be more than you and Jesus in Heaven. So you better get used to the idea of seeing a lot of the same type of people who you don’t like for whatever superficial reason, in heaven. Which doesn’t make heaven such an appealing place anymore does it?
And that’s a pretty dangerous place to be (to be disliking the reality of heaven).
This isn’t directed to anyone in particular because I see a lot of people on this thread expressing disdain over their fellow worshippers. It’s something I used to feel too, believe me; and still when there’s some outrageous liturgical abuse (especially that holding of the hands stuff during the Our Father) it still comes up in me.
Then I remember (hopefully), I’m going to be spending eternity with these people. So I might wanna start at least tolerating some of their stink while here on Earth. Don’t wanna burn any bridges after all, by holding some grudge in the afterlife.
So I pray for them some more, and hope they are doing the same for me. Because everyone needs prayer.
2,000 years of observing the Eucharist, the REAL PRESENCE of Jesus in the Mass, observed since the very beginning of Christianity, observed by more Christians around the world than the couple million protestants that make fun of it and pick and choose what they want to believe in the Bible.
I rest my case. You my friend, you are seriously outnumbered.
But you know more than all the world’s greatest theologians since the beginning of Christianity.
And I might add you even know more your great hero who broke up the Church, Martin Luther. Even the egotistical Luther believed in the Eucharist and the Real Presence and had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother. But of course he was wrong, that was just the “Catholic” in him.
“Instead, it is the wholly inspired-of-God words of Scripture”
Are you speaking of the Scripture the Catholic Church safeguarded before putting into that book called the Bible so you would know he world of God. Without the Catholic Church you would still be praying to the the sun gods.
Well, this is the problem with eternity: hell is other people. I wonder if this is why so many people turn to atheism - the idea that once you are dead you will be asleep and at peace. It is an inviting thought.
I have always had a problem with heaven because I thought that it would mean I’d have to spend an eternity with Aunt Jean. Of course, I am being absurd; I’m sure heaven is quite lovely.
You're implying that in the Eucharist, Catholics eat dead, diseased flesh that transmits disease?
I hope you are not following me from thread to thread, dear Alex. Because it doesn’t intimidate me and it doesn’t scare me. But it is against FR rules and I have no problem reporting it, OK?
Worry about your own soul.
I hate it too. So phony. And now with what we know about sickness being passed by hand, it needs to be dropped immediately.
Hand sanitizers are no guarantee of anything.
Some of them have actually contained bacteria.
One of the many many things I do NOT MISS about the RCC.
The Sacrifice of the Mass is about the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus .. no one else . and that’s what I concentrate on not the people in the next pew.
What's the name of your church? Is it even Catholic? I've never heard of such nonsense.
I never heard of this practice, either. We just stood or kneeled and felt a huge splash of water come across our face! We never did anything with our hands except make the sign of the cross or fold them in prayer.
Not any more than Caths believe they are eating animal flesh by consuming the Passover Lamb, as an analogy does not need have complete one to one correspondence.
And endocannbalism is a practice of eating the flesh of a human being from the same community (tribe, social group or society), usually after they have died, and in the case i provided, it was to gain life properties of the deceased. Whether all the flesh was eaten or not then it still is endocannbalism, and was seen among pagans.
And so your argument is not simply that Rome is the NT church based upon historical descent, but that the stewards and transmitters of Scripture are the assuredly infallible interpreters of it? Complete your logic and argument.
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