3rd Objection

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Tanais

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I hope no one is getting tired of my objections yet, I just like to give thorough anwers to objections brought to me and some of the best ways that I know of getting a solid, thorough objection is to ask my fellow Catholics. Well here is my 3rd objection, it is perhaps the most juvenile of them all:
If as you say our love of God should be most important aspect in our lives then shouldn’t also be the most enjoyable? Yet I find that the Mass which is the highest form of Catholic worship to be quite boring and so unenjoyable. Shouldn’t our worship of God be fun and enjoyable? Catholics make Mass so monotonous and dull. Why can’t I just go to a Protestant church where they actually have an enjoyable worship service, wouldn’t I not be putting more of myself into the service if I liked it? Does not God want me to put my all into his worship?
Syllogism: 1. God is ultimate happiness.
2. Worship of God then should be enjoyable.
3. Therefore if Mass is truly worship of God it should be enjoyable.
4. But Mass is not enjoyable for most therefore it isn’t good.
This is a very common objection I here, not just from teenagers but also from full grown (at least biologically) adults. In my opinion this is by far the most annoying objection, indictative of our spoiled culture. Nonetheless I find it is necessary to at least answer it. First of all I usually like to point out that the Mass is not about you the individual, it is about God (I personally thoroughly enjoy Mass). Sometimes I also recall a question I once gave to a Protestant Pastor when I was still Protestant. I asked him about those who say church is boring, he compared church to vegetables, stating that at first we may not like vegetables because we are so used to bad foods but they are good for us but once we get into them we begin to enjoy them. Although something to me doesn’t seem fully right there with that one for some reason. Anyways, once again any thoughts? anything you’d like to add? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
 
I believe that because we don’t understand mass completely we do become board. I have found that by taking my missle with me I can follow more closely what the readings are instead of just listening and maybe being distracted by the things that are going on with the people seated around me. When we are saying our creed I try to “put myself in the picture”, meaning that I try to see myself actively involved by seeing the events in my imagination.
When father is saying the prayer of concreation I see Jesus being scourged and His blood actually flowing into the cup
In other words I try and become involved in what is happening instead of just watching from the outside. By doing this I really feel that I am involved in the life, death and resurection of our dearest Lord, Jesus Christ. I immerse myself and because of this I wish I could be at mass every day, I love being there and I truly enjoy mass… I actually count my days until the next Sunday when I can receive our Lord again and as an added benefit it allows me to think about our Lord every day as I fufill my duties to the people I work with.
Gods peace be with you
maggiec
 
A worship service, whether it be a protestant version or the Catholic mass, is not an entertainment venue. Unfortunately, the entertainment quotient seems to be rather high on some people’s lists. The questions and doubts as you phrased them in your post seem to betray just what these church goers are looking for.

I am convinced, perhaps wrongly, that people with this kind of thinking do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. If they did believe in the real presence, they would be awe struck at the tremendous miracle before them. Catholic liturgy, when done properly, is filled with reverence and love of God. At mass we do not think that “it’s all about me” and what I can get out of it. Instead, it is all about the Almighty and what it is that we offer unto him. We are reminded of just what the mass is about when we read Malachi 1:11 and its restatement in Eucharistic prayer # 3, “From age to age You gather a people to Yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of Your Name.”

Not only do we have the perfect offering but we receive the perfect offering. Surely, no fired up bible preaching pastor or pleasant sounding protestant choir service can compare to God’s own gift and perfect offering.
 
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Pax:
I am convinced, perhaps wrongly, that people with this kind of thinking do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. If they did believe in the real presence, they would be awe struck at the tremendous miracle before them. Catholic liturgy, when done properly, is filled with reverence and love of God. At mass we do not think that “it’s all about me” and what I can get out of it. Instead, it is all about the Almighty and what it is that we offer unto him. We are reminded of just what the mass is about when we read Malachi 1:11 and its restatement in Eucharistic prayer # 3, “From age to age You gather a people to Yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of Your Name.”

Not only do we have the perfect offering but we receive the perfect offering. Surely, no fired up bible preaching pastor or pleasant sounding protestant choir service can compare to God’s own gift and perfect offering.
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I must say I do agree with you there, the Mass, once you realize the miracle taking place before our eyes, is indeed glorious. I have a friend who teaches Catechism and he believes why most do not enjoy the Mass is because they do not understand it. He has tried to instill in his students a greater and deeper understanding of the Mass. I pray he is right about that, for i fear to many of my fellow teenagers get too disinterested in Church and fall away in early adulthood.
 
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Tanais:
  • Syllogism: 1. God is ultimate happiness.*
  • Code: 
        2. Worship of God then should be enjoyable.*
  • Code: 
        3. Therefore if Mass is truly worship of God it should be enjoyable.*
  • Code: 
        4. But Mass is not enjoyable for most therefore it isn’t good.*
Click to expand...
The problem with the syllogism is that it does not take into account our fallen natures in which what is “enjoyable” is what temporarily satisfies the desires of the flesh, as St. Paul says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would.” (Gal 5:16-17).

A syllogism that takes our fallen natures into account would go something like this:
1. God is ultimate happiness.
2. Worship of God then should be enjoyable but due to our fallen natures it probably won’t feel that way to us.
  • Code: 
        3. Therefore if Mass is truly worship of God it probably won't feel enjoyable.*
  • Code: 
        4. The Mass is not enjoyable for most therefore it is good.*
 
Todd Easton:
A syllogism that takes our fallen natures into account would go something like this:
1. God is ultimate happiness.
2. Worship of God then should be enjoyable but due to our fallen natures it probably won’t feel that way to us.
  • Code: 
        3. Therefore if Mass is truly worship of God it probably won't feel enjoyable.*
  • Code: 
        4. The Mass is not enjoyable for most therefore it is good.*
Click to expand...
Good one, I like it a lot.
 
Like you said, eating veggies are not enjoyable to many, but nonetheless it is necessary for our health and well being biologically.

Eating junk food is enjoyable to many, but eating that alone could result catasthropically (like Super Size Me :rolleyes: )
 
You are right, that is quite juvenile. I would just indicate to him that he should then be worshipping at the circus, for that is surely more enjoyable than even his Protestant service! 😃
 
Tanais, re not enjoying being at Mass and getting bored.

I love going to Holy Mass. I try to listen carefully to every word the priest says. I especially pay close attention when the words of consecrecation are said. I consider myself fortunate and privileged to be present at this awesome event: Jesus coming down from Heaven, the Lamb of God. And he allows us to eat His Flesh and drink of His Blood - the Lamb of God - to sustain us in our journey towards our ultimate home: Heaven.

Please consider John 6:51: I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever;and the bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world.
and V. 53: Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
V. 54: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

And Jesus continues emphasizing up to V. 59 that unless you partake of His Body and Blood you won’t have eternal life, means you cannot get into heaven.

Maybe you can buy some good books written by a saint about the Mass. One book I like to suggest to you is Saint Peter Julian Eymard - The Priest of the Eucharist. Tan Publishling most likely has the book in stock.

I hope I was of some help. Theodora.
 
Theodora,
No I very much enjoy Mass, thanks for asking. I look forward to it all the time.
Thanks,
 
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