An Unexpected Hand

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unixfudotnet

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The first Mass I went to, I didn’t expect much. To be honest, I only went because I promised a friend I would. I didn’t expect to be so uncomfortable and out of place. What I really didn’t expect was to feel something real grip me when the priest was giving his sermon.

Normally if someone said something like that to me, I’d figure that they were in a low point in their life and desperately needed something to look up to… or needed something to hold on to… or were crazy…

Yet, it was real! I didn’t expect it, yet something really true and gripping took a hold of me that day. I’d like to think that I felt the hand of God that day. It is not something fake or all in my head. It may seem crazy, yet it has a hold of me and I am passionate to learn all I can.

I just wanted to document this, as it seems out of the blue that I am now interested in the Church and Christianity. It is true, it happened all of a sudden. I did a complete 180 in the span of a single moment of unexpected awesomeness. I have been told this is rare.

Yet, I feel what I feel and know it to be true. I don’t need anyone to prove it to me or convince me of it. It is the truth and I know it with every iota of my being.

I have always been a skeptic and always needed complete proof. I feel I have it, not in my hand where I can touch it, yet I just know. It’s like how you know you love someone. You just know and it can’t be proven.

I look forward to going to Mass each time. It is like the clergy are speaking directly to me and the Holy Spirit is delivering it, which may even be the case. Each time, it is exactly what I needed to hear. It is very uncanny and remarkable, yet it is really happening.

It is truly life changing. I am not out to change anyone else, yet I just wanted you to know what has happened to me.

Reposted from my new Catholic blog
 
Welcome Home! Your experience sounds very similar to my conversion. I had spent the last 10 years or so drifting further into agnosticism/atheism. The day before Easter 2005, I just knew that I had to go to church the next day. When I showed up at Mass that following day, I knew without doubt that there was someone present, not just the congregation and the priest, pointing to the truth in the Mass. This is the shortened version to save me the typing, but the point is that these sorts of “insights” or whatever you want to call them are very special and to be treasured. May God bless you in your journey.
 
The more I learn, the more I realize it is a struggle. It was much easier not knowing my wrongs and sins. I’m becoming more dependent on prayer.

It’s not easy. If I had perfect love (not being human), it would be very simple. Yet (being a human), it is difficult, yet I am making an effort 🙂

A month ago the quote of “you are strongest when you are on your knees” would have been a hilarious vulgar joke to me a month ago, yet now it has great meaning… and it takes strength and being completely humble to do.
 
[SIGN]Welcome![/SIGN]

How wonderful that you are turning to God as He touches your heart. CAF is a great place to learn, but might I also suggest contacting your local parish about RCIA classes?

Praying for you! 😃
 
unixfudotnet said:
I look forward to going to Mass each time. It is like the clergy are speaking directly to me and the Holy Spirit is delivering it, which may even be the case. Each time, it is exactly what I needed to hear. It is very uncanny and remarkable, yet it is really happening.

It is truly life changing. I am not out to change anyone else, yet I just wanted you to know what has happened to me.

Reposted from my new Catholic blog
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you got it
in fact you got what I would try to teach candidates preparing for reception into the Church, and in a year may not lead them to realize what you have

the Holy Spirit speaks to each and every person at every Mass, no matter how weak the sermon, insipid the music, or how little attention is paid to carrying out the rites properly, or how sinful the priests and parishioners are. The Holy Spirit has a Word for you maybe in the homily, the readings, the songs, the prayers of the Mass, or even a comment someone makes as you leave the Church, or in the shout out of a toddler. The key is to listen. You were moved by the Spirit to listen, you responded, you opened your ears and you heard.

don’t suppose you would like to move down here and help me with RCIA.
 
Belle10 said:
[SIGN]Welcome![/SIGN]

How wonderful that you are turning to God as He touches your heart. CAF is a great place to learn, but might I also suggest contacting your local parish about RCIA classes?

Praying for you! 😃
Click to expand...
The RCIA classes don’t start till the fall, yet I’ll definitely be signing up. It is a bit saddening that I can’t partake of the Eucharist, yet I understand why.
 
I had a weird experience in 1977, it was August 15th actually and I was at a low point in my life because my mother passed away 2 weeks earlier.

The suns rays were shining through the stain glassed windows and the Church was hot.

When the Monsignor started to walk down the isle to distribute Communion all I could feel was the presence of Jesus, it was like Jesus was distributing the Communion and not the Monsignor.

It was like we were the only two in Church, Jesus and I.

Probably doesn’t mean a lot to those that didn’t experience it, but it was real to me, and I as you can see never forgot it.

Other strange things have occurred in my life before that event and after, you just brought that particular one to my mind again.
 
unixfudotnet said:
The more I learn, the more I realize it is a struggle. It was much easier not knowing my wrongs and sins. I’m becoming more dependent on prayer.
Click to expand...
We should be glad to know our wrongs and sins than to be blind as if we are perfect. This humility will bring you even closer to God.
unixfudotnet said:
A month ago the quote of “you are strongest when you are on your knees” would have been a hilarious vulgar joke to me a month ago, yet now it has great meaning… and it takes strength and being completely humble to do.
Click to expand...
God works amazingly and wonderfully! What you said is so true. When we are opened ourselves to let God come into our life, He gives us more strength and trust in Him.

God bless you on your faith journey.
 
unixfudotnet said:
The RCIA classes don’t start till the fall, yet I’ll definitely be signing up. It is a bit saddening that I can’t partake of the Eucharist, yet I understand why.
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Well, in the meantime you CAN adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. ❤️ Go here to find adoration anywhere in the U.S.: therealpresence.org/chap_fr.htm
God bless you! 🙂
hawkeye said:
I had a weird experience in 1977, it was August 15th actually and I was at a low point in my life because my mother passed away 2 weeks earlier.

The suns rays were shining through the stain glassed windows and the Church was hot.

When the Monsignor started to walk down the isle to distribute Communion all I could feel was the presence of Jesus, it was like Jesus was distributing the Communion and not the Monsignor.

It was like we were the only two in Church, Jesus and I.

Probably doesn’t mean a lot to those that didn’t experience it, but it was real to me, and I as you can see never forgot it.

Other strange things have occurred in my life before that event and after, you just brought that particular one to my mind again.
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How beautiful. Jesus reminds us He’s with us in beautiful ways, doesn’t He? ❤️
 
You have received the gift of faith, which so many people pray for.

Faith is God’s revelation of Himself to us, however it may happen. What you described is how God has revealed Himself to you.

Now, you are responding to that faith, by returning to His Church, and moving toward a closer relationship with Him.

May Jesus Christ bless you ever more!

Welcome home!

Jim
 
hawkeye said:
I had a weird experience in 1977, it was August 15th actually and I was at a low point in my life because my mother passed away 2 weeks earlier.

The suns rays were shining through the stain glassed windows and the Church was hot.

When the Monsignor started to walk down the isle to distribute Communion all I could feel was the presence of Jesus, it was like Jesus was distributing the Communion and not the Monsignor.

It was like we were the only two in Church, Jesus and I.

Probably doesn’t mean a lot to those that didn’t experience it, but it was real to me, and I as you can see never forgot it.

Other strange things have occurred in my life before that event and after, you just brought that particular one to my mind again.
Click to expand...
This is so special it gives me chills.
 
Hee hee, sounds like God gave you ALL the proof you need. That’s amazing, wow, what a testimony!

ETA: Yes, TOTALLY visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, reposed in the tabernacle. I find Him just irresistable there for some reason, and I’ve visited Him there frequently. Trust me, you’ll be SO blessed. 👍
 
This is just what I needed to hear. What a beautiful testiment to the miraculous workings of the Holy Spirit.

With all the evil that happens in the world I am often the one to say “Satan is alive and well.” What a wonderful reminder that “The Holy Spirit is alive and well”…and working wonderful miracles at that. I think the sermon I heard a week ago echoed this as well. “God is still more prevailant in the world than Satan.” The good will always outweigh the bad.

How Blessed you are Unix! Nope you don’t often hear of this kind of profound conversion, but every once in a while God does something very dramatic…something instantaneous…sometimes I think He does this to show the world “Yes, I am still God”…“I am still all powerful and I am still all loving.”…“and yes, I am still with you.”

WELCOME HOME!!!
 
hawkeye said:
He doe’s… I haven’t plucked up the courage to tell the Monsignor though.
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I totally understand that.

After 10 years of doubts, not about the Church but about the very existance of God, I had a very special experience during Lent that the priest was part of.

He still doesn’t have a clue.
 
unixfudotnet said:
The first Mass I went to, I didn’t expect much. To be honest, I only went because I promised a friend I would. I didn’t expect to be so uncomfortable and out of place. What I really didn’t expect was to feel something real grip me when the priest was giving his sermon.

Normally if someone said something like that to me, I’d figure that they were in a low point in their life and desperately needed something to look up to… or needed something to hold on to… or were crazy…

Yet, it was real! I didn’t expect it, yet something really true and gripping took a hold of me that day. I’d like to think that I felt the hand of God that day. It is not something fake or all in my head. It may seem crazy, yet it has a hold of me and I am passionate to learn all I can.

I just wanted to document this, as it seems out of the blue that I am now interested in the Church and Christianity. It is true, it happened all of a sudden. I did a complete 180 in the span of a single moment of unexpected awesomeness. I have been told this is rare.

Yet, I feel what I feel and know it to be true. I don’t need anyone to prove it to me or convince me of it. It is the truth and I know it with every iota of my being.

I have always been a skeptic and always needed complete proof. I feel I have it, not in my hand where I can touch it, yet I just know. It’s like how you know you love someone. You just know and it can’t be proven.

I look forward to going to Mass each time. It is like the clergy are speaking directly to me and the Holy Spirit is delivering it, which may even be the case. Each time, it is exactly what I needed to hear. It is very uncanny and remarkable, yet it is really happening.

It is truly life changing. I am not out to change anyone else, yet I just wanted you to know what has happened to me.

Reposted from my new Catholic blog
Click to expand...
God graces us in so many wonderful ways – and I offer my prayers of thanks and praise to God when people like you share their experiences of re sponding to His grace. Thank you!

John Newton might have said you experienced a “great deliverance.” An 18th-century sailor then slave trader, and an atheist, he cried out for God’s mercy during a horrible storm while at sea. Afterwards he wrote his poem “Amazing Grace” (sung to a variety of tunes for a while). Even after this initial conversion, he remained a slave trader – it was several years later that, as an Anglican preacher in England, he realized slavery is wrong and he became instrumental in abolishing it in England. Newton’s life shows us all that God doesn’t leave us – He continues to help us conform our will to His – and that we must continually work on our journeys of conversion.

God gives each of us the grace to endure – and to love each other. Know you’ll be prayed for. And may you enjoy this adventure!

Here are the first there verses of “Amazing Grace” (from memory – I hope I’ve got 'em right):

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, trials and snares
I have already come.
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
and grace will bring me home.
 
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