About not being let back in to pew after Communion

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People are sometimes inconsiderate at Mass. One time, I was kneeling and the guy in front of me sat back while the guy directly behind me kept kneeling. There was no space for me to scoot to the side, so I was stuck in an uncomfortable position in which I could neither sit back or rest my weight on the back of the pew in front of me. I don’t think it has happened to me more than once.
 
With whether or not you need to confess that, let’s think logically.

1: You were trying to be polite by letting your friends know why you were getting in line.
2: Your friends weren’t bothered so it didn’t give offense.
3: You were not doing it to disrespect God.
4: You weren’t even thinking it could be a sin at the time. (No, “This is wrong but I’ll do it anyways.”)
 
Yes, you’re right! I guess I didn’t think it through…I just felt this sudden embarrassment over it today when I thought back and realized what I had done. Thanks for helping me sort it out.
 
I once was at a mass - when it was time for communion -
I got up and went to the left of the isle to join in the center procession -
These women wouldn’t let me in the line - all women
About eight went by me ( and they were sitting behind me )
:confused:
Finally one lady gave me a dirty look, mouth grimace -
Motioned that I could leave the pew and get communion -
Never seen THAT before !
I wasn’t in a rush - and no way was I going to be rude …

Maybe they were a suburban women motorcycle gang - lol
 
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If that was me a few years ago, I would have lifted that kneeler right up and walked right over them!
 
Wow! Some people…I’ve never seen that before. I guess that would have been a good opportunity to pray for all those women. It’s like whenever someone cuts me off in traffic, I try to say a prayer for them instead of getting irritated. I figure God brought that person to my attention for a reason. But I’ve been forgetting to do that lately…have to get back in the habit. 😳
 
Closest I got to not being let in the line was when the kid helping the usher with organizing the line must’ve lost their train of thought and kept standing in front of me (I’m generally at the end of a pew) for something like 10 seconds aftwe the pew in front had emptied out. I thought it was a tad humorous when the remembered, “Oh yeah, I gotta move back when a pew finishes.”
 
I would’ve just said, “Excuse me” and made my way through, ignoring their efforts to keep me out.
 
Unfortunately we have people behaving like that in a mass. Most unfortunate and uncalled for, especially after receiving Communion.

You did the right thing to circumvent the person and avoid a scene. I would be tempted to squeeze myself and walk over the person legs to my seat.

God bless.
 
I’ve had that - makes me feel like I have two heads and I’m afraid to move!
 
Disturbing, sad behavior. But we live in sad, disturbing times.
We need to pray for disrespectful fellow parishioners.
 
ShowersofRoses said:
There were two older ladies in our pew who got up as well. My kids went back to the pew while I also received the Precious Blood. When I tried to return to my pew, the older ladies were already there. I tried to step in and go past them to my seat, but they just looked right at me, almost a glare, and put down their kneeler, almost on my foot, and knelt down. I was so surprised they had ignored me like that and that they wouldn’t let me get in back to my kids, so I didn’t say anything and instead I circled around all the way to the back and got back in line, then finally slipped back to my seat.
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I know this will sound fairly simplistic. But, Saint Theresa of Lisuex (if haven’t misspelled that too wrong…(sigh)) The Saint known as the Little Flower had to cope with the banging of Rosary beads against the pews. By, guess who? Older religious sisters. Fortitude would come by as the most profitable virtue in this regard.

Here’s a snapshot into my life in prayer. When I am at Mass. Especially throughout the entire Celebration. Both internally, and from the exterior (the outside world around my inner cosmos, if you will) I am inundated with distractions, and most often interferences in my prayer life…uuuuhhhh (sigh.) It’s crazy. How can I be so receptive of Christ? I want to drink from the Well Spring of the Homily, the Readings, and the entirety of whole Liturgical Mass, and Sacrifice. But with all the annoyances interior, and from the exterior, how can I survive and thrive in my faith? Well, first, not to trust in myself. That’s the first thing. And second of course, trusting in God, His Humility, HIs Love, His Strength, and His Endurance. In HIs Son, in the Blessed Sacrament. The Holy Rosary, and Mary’s prayers offering them to God daily. I can’t imagine how she does it? It’s amazing. And of course her saints, her helpers in prayer. Wow! That is truly amazing how Our Church works. Christ established her through the faith, the size of a Mustard Seed. Amazing!

That fervency in prayer keeps a lit candle, so-to-speak for me during Mass. Pray for these Ladies. You have, I think, been offered a grace of Sainthood, in a way. A gift, an offering, and a true blessing. And of course, I have had to understand my own as well. Though difficult.

Maybe take time to see Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament, when exposed during Adoration. Set some time aside. You should take your kids. Wow, only if I were married and had children, if I had an opportunity in my life to do that. I’d love to do that. it would be a rich blessing and miracle.
 
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ShowersofRoses said:
I felt a short explanation was necessary for why I cut in front of them
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When I am at Mass. My first inner gut feeling is to make sure I am up, out of my seat, and making sure I don’t miss Jesus *like Zacharius.) My attachment to myself (worries, angst, and anxiety) often drives the process and delivery of trying to receive Jesus. Why? Because, my thoughts are: What if I miss Him? I don’t want to miss Him.

Mary Magdalene sorta did this going to the tomb. She wanted to see Jesus resting in the tomb. Wanting, so to speak watch Him rise from the dead just as the sun rises. In anticipation. She still continued to search. Asking the nearby boy where her master went? Where did they take Him? The boy (guessing an angel) said He was not there. He had risen from the dead. Well, Jesus came to Mary Magdalene. And found her.

When we receive Christ. Remember He gives Himself to us. Ours is receptivity. We are not driving or steering Him around, like a car. Christ is not driven by the motive force of human beings. But by the miracle which He becomes present in the Holy Eucharist from His Sacrificed body, which is risen. That state, and in that way, we receive Him.

When compulsion and worry press us (sort of Martha’s call on how she sorted out to Christ what to do - Do you not care? Tell my sister to help me. Martha cannot steer Christ around. For Jesus said - Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things. At this juncture we can see something fruitful out of Martha’s work and effort she seems to miss being the most important aspect. When Jesus says this to her (about Mary Magdalene) - She has chosen the better. And this will not be taken away from her. Two things Jesus elevates and strengthens: Among the things Martha is worried about (emphasis), Mary chose the better. The single most important aspect of all Martha’s concerns. Here He is helping Martha with Mary, like a candle, like…a Light! Mary means Light. So here Mary is helping Martha by choosing the better. Now here’s the second part (ready for this??): Jesus can see the anxiety and worries penetrating Martha’s heart. The inner turmoil. The Divine Physician she encounters. Jesus gives her reassurance how strong this one singular aspect is, that, it cannot be taken away from Mary. Thus, Jesus strengthens Martha with Mary’s firm commitment and resolve in prayer, sweetness, and Adoration.

So Jesus helps Martha by showing her Mary’s virtuous life as a sinner becoming a saint. Not just for Mary, but for Martha too.
 
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It was a rainy day and I poped my umbrella against the ledge that joins the kneller to the pew. A lady came in and sat next to me. She threw my umbrella to the side and put hers in its place.
 
In 60 years it has only happened once. Like yourself I wasn’t sure what the issue was.
I simply asked, a little louder than necessary so everyone nearby could hear, ma’m would you mind sitting up so I may pass otherwise I will need to climb over your legs.
What else could she do but sit back. I would have climbed over her legs if she didn’t.
 
Surely they would be worried about being injured by a clumsy person tripping over them.
 
I don’t think Mary of Bethany (i.e. the sister of Martha) is actually the same person as Mary Magdalene?

So she wasn’t ‘a sinner becoming a saint’ in that sense. I know we are all sinners in a broader sense.
 
Small parish? It’s kind of like that at mine, but mostly everyone is polite and I’ve thankfully never experienced anything like the stories here.
 
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