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Book_Worm
Guest
Applause doesn’t always denote praise for a performance. It can also signify agreement with a pronouncement or request.well stated
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Book_Worm
Guest
That’s one definition. It’s not the only one.Or salvation?
Blessing implies agreement with one’s undertaking.
Are you familiar with the lyrics? They ask God to shed His grace on the country. (Or do you not think it needs God’s grace?) They ask that in addition to the many gifts He has given our country, God also grants us a sense of brotherhood with our fellow man. They ask that He mend every flaw that we have and temper Liberty with law. They ask that our success not be material wealth but nobility and our gains be the ones of which He approves.
Those are the blessings that our parish asked God for in song on Saturday. I don’t find them “corny” and have a great deal of trouble believing that God would find agreeing with those requests to be a sin.
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CB_Catholic
Guest
Exactly.
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ProVobis
Guest
I thought we were discussing “God Bless America,” the one Kate Smith made popular??
I doubt if the average American can even give a definition of “bless.”
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Irishmom2
Guest
Wow. Thanks for making such an uncharitable remark.
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Lion_IRC
Guest
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EasterJoy
Guest
*Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. * (
Matt. 6:1)
and
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Matt. 6:19-21)
Gratitude is a good habit, but I hesitate to congratulate someone for things they have done to please God, lest they be robbed of even a little of their recompense. It is better to recognize the thing done as a good thing and to encourage others to emulate it while pointedly not presuming to add to God’s reward to the obedient with applause at a time when God alone ought to be receiving praise. We ought to assume the saints among us are saying, as they were taught by the words of Our Lord: “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.” (Luke 17:10)
Still, when put on the spot to either agree or disagree with whether or not someone has done something praiseworthy, I do not like to imply that I do not think they have done anything meritorious. When the risk is that inaction will imply they haven’t impressed me, rather than that they’ll know they were never there to impress me in the first place, I tend to err on the side of recognizing that the deeds done were indeed worthy of my gratitude.
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GoGoDiego
Guest
The only time people clap is after the dismissal. Though yes, I know the Mass typically ends at that point. Why? It is too distracting. It reduces the sacred action that just ended as some play or a drama for the edification of the people.
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Faxero
Guest
There isn’t anything wrong with expressing our love for our countries and our desire for blessings.
Such actions are innately right, yet can become wrong or imprudent under certain circumstances.
Mass, I believe, is one such circumstance.
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ProVobis
Guest
Reference the original post
I merely pointed out that one wouldn’t want to approve such activity, therefore one wouldn’t ask for blessings on such activities. Perhaps the Brits have it right when they sing “God SAVE our Queen.”
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PassioAmator
Guest
Clapping should never be done during the Mass, or in Church at all. When clapping does occur, the laity are applauding for a sinners individual achievements, when the King is dwelling inside the Tabernacle(with no applause!).
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