Embarrassing Question

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Well, as if some prayer had been answered…for the first time today, I was closer to tears than I’ve ever been in a long time. I was at a funeral today for a young 17 year old girl who had just graduated from my highschool…she died because she was hit by a car during a vacation with her friends to Cancun. It was a hit and run, and a lot of people are very angry at the guy, hoping he gets caught…but, anyways, back to the girl. I didn’t know her personally, but I was in several of her sisters classes and I felt I should go to show some support.

So, I went, and I was surprisingly overwhelmed by the amount of emotion and crying for Lauren…I could tell that she was loved dearly by many. The music that was playing seemed to touch me differently too, especially since they were powerful songs like “Amazing Grace” and a favorite of mine “Sheperd Me Oh God”. But, I found myself choking up, seriously trying to hold back any tears…I ended up not crying, but I still had these powerful waves of feeling tingling throughout my body, from my back to the top of my scalp. The mass also seemed to be much more meaningful to me…it was amazing.
 
Oh but that we all would cry at the wondrous gift we are about to recieve. :bowdown2:

I cry for many reasons and at different times. As long as I am not sobbing – weeping, crying and not the gut wrenching sobs when grief comes a’calling – I stay with my community of the faithful. Tears are part of who we are as humans. I think your sincerity in worship is admirable!

I have probably been a reason that a new designated room off the foyer has been created for “bereavment” purposes. Oh well, I can’t be the first person to have to deal with grief in my parish, I just keep it hidden like a disease.

Pax et bonum,
Mamamull
 
Hi Max,

When you feel the tears come, let it flow. It’s okay. Within the tears, God is touching you in a way that you need to hear His voice. We all hear God’s prompting and nudges in different ways. We just need to be open to the message. Don’t be concern about what He is telling you. Just let your heart listen.

Different level of tears are important. There are times when the tears come and we don’t know why. And there are times when emotion is so strong that our tears come from deep within. Either way, it’s okay to show them, especially in church. Where else can you feel safe than in the arms of God?

My guess is that you are a young since you mentioned you were at a funeral for a 17yo and was a classmate of her sister. You have many years to grow Spiritually in maturity. Because someone is experiencing something doesn’t mean you won’t be able to experience them later.

Be patient. And remember, God loves you and is always with you.

Peace
 
kayla said:
I have a slighly embarrassing question: this always happens to me during mass and it’s difficult for me to ask anyone about it, but I become very emotional during certain parts of the mass, particularlly during the song of forgiveness: Lamb of God…you take away the sins of the world…have mercy on us. Prince of Peace: you take away the sins of the world…
***As hard as try and tell myself “I’ll be able to hold back”, the tears just start falling like someone turned on a facet:o …if I don’t have tissue I’m in trouble:eek: ***
Does anyone else have this happen??
Sometimes I feel Jesus is trying to tell me something! I’m not particularlly a over -emtional person, but at times I can be moved by somethings.
One thing that I have noticed when I walk into chruch…is a very wonderfull peace that comes over me…I love that feeling!
thanks fo all who read my post and resond,
Have a great day, God Bless!
Kayla
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Go with the flow, what a beautiful experience 🙂
 
Hi all, I would just like to add something to what kayla has mentioned. We are all emotional beings and it’s great to feel the love, peace and joy that GOD gives us so freely. But do keep in mind that you CANNOT rely solely on your emotions when it comes to worshipping GOD. When ‘dry spells’ come we have to persevere and fall back on our GOD given faith to hang on with the help of our Advocate, the Holy Spirit.
God bless all!!!
 
My guess is that you are a young since you mentioned you were at a funeral for a 17yo and was a classmate of her sister.
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Yeah, I guess you can say that…I’m turning 15 in less than a month!
Different level of tears are important. There are times when the tears come and we don’t know why. And there are times when emotion is so strong that our tears come from deep within. Either way, it’s okay to show them, especially in church. Where else can you feel safe than in the arms of God?
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Well, if I refuse to cry even when I have complete and total privacy, I don’t think it would be so easy to have the will to cry in public. I guess I’ve still got the attitude ingrained in me that crying is for babies and sissies, and that it wouldn’t make anything better. Even after reading all of this, the better part of me (that is, the feeling that’s most dominant) still wouldn’t dare shed a tear. I guess I’m just afraid that something like that would become a common thing for me to do.
 
I’m so glad someone mentioned this. I always seem to cry a little whenever I go to mass. The holiness and love experienced at mass can touch one so deeply. I was afraid to let anyone see me cry… I thought someone would think I had an ‘emotional problem’ (so many emotions are called disorders these days, unfortunately). I first heard about the Gift of Tears only yesterday. Now that I know it is a gift from the Holy Spirit, I won’t be so self-conscious, and I will no longer try to stop the tears from falling… “Quench not the Spirit” 1Thes 5:19. Tears of such sweetness should be offered up to God in love ❤️.
 
I was away from he church for 27 years and went to mass wth my daughterone Sunday and got blasted(zzzzzap) It’s the exception if I don’t cry at mass. Once we understand the magnitude of it all… A priest said that if people really knew what they were recieving they would be literally crawling to recieve. This brings me to the point of not wanting to draw attention to ourselves. The parish we belong to does not have kneelers. Now you probobly know how I might feel about kneeling (from the Sanctus to the Agnus Dei). I started going to the neighboring parish which actually looks like a church and not like the back end of a spaceship. they have kneelers, and such. When we are in a church, say, that does not have kneelers are we out of line and drawing attention to ourselves if we are the only ones kneeling? I have experienced this and me and my kids always kneel. I don’t think that I’m any better of a catholic than the next guy but reverance is reverance is it not? Does Jesus change the level of action that determines worship depending on church appointments?
When I asked our parish priest about this (I mentioned the USCCB DETERMINATION THAT FOR THE U.S., people were to kneel at the above mentioned times. He said that it was ok that we kneel and that he had to write a letter to the bishop to get the ok to have the congregation stand. Anyway I’m sorry for babbling but for as many people that might find offense? at these types of things, crying included I have had so many that have said that they were truly moved by my tears and me and my children kneeling. god bless and keep you always

George
 
God Bless you Max, in your time of grief. I’ll pray for Lauren, her family and all your classmates.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord, and let Your Perpetual Light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.
May Mary, the Mother of all Consolations, shower her family with her tender mercies in their time of grief.

There is a part of this weeping thing that I need to share. I was told that ours is not a “feel good” religion. Nor is it a “feel bad” religion. Our emotional states are no measure of the depth (or for that matter, the shallowness) of our devotional convictions. While it is true that certain songs, passages in Scripture or a powerful homily can jar our emotions and bring on the tears, this emotional response is just that - an emotional response.

The type of weeping that is early mentioned in this thread, I think is of a rather different nature. Not every one who has a good cry in Mass is experiencing a movement of the Holy Spirit. Contrition hits folks in different ways. The authenticity of such an experience would naturally show its fruits in changed lives. I know a woman who cries over the same hurts and resentments day in, day out and has for over twenty years! I don’t think that is a movement of the Holy Spirit at all.

I’ve been warned repeatedly to not rely on my emotional responses as a yardstick for measureing my spiritual growth. This can be dangerous, especially when our emotions take us in another direction.

If you are sincerely interested in the mystical side of our faith, get a good spiritual director, and read some of the masters of mysticism. Emotionalism is a very real hazard and can led some astray when things get “dry” and they look elsewhere for the emotional “charge” they “used to get” from Mass! It DOES Happen Folks! Pleae be careful - you are worth more than many, many sparrows and more precious than fire-tired gold!

Peace and all good,

Thomas2
 
God Bless you George! I’ve done the same i places that discourage kneeling. I suggest you take this question to the Apologist Forum and get expert advise. No one can prevent you from using proper reverence in Mass. As for the “letter” no mere priest can change anything about the Mass on his own. That’s the Holy See’s job.

Peace and all good,

Thomas2
 
George,
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
I know what you mean about churches that resemble the back end of a spaceship…We have plenty of them around here…Greater Cincinnati…
**Have you read Michael Rose’s “Renovation Manipulation”? I hope I got that title right. Anyway, it is very good…A must for anyone involved in a church renovation, or even the building of a new church. **
 
CD4 said:
George,
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
I know what you mean about churches that resemble the back end of a spaceship…We have plenty of them around here…Greater Cincinnati…
**Have you read Michael Rose’s “Renovation Manipulation”? I hope I got that title right. Anyway, it is very good…A must for anyone involved in a church renovation, or even the building of a new church. **
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Anybody see the cross behind the altar, here?
😦

h-t.org/images/wpe19.jpg

Yes, it’s there right in front of you.

Still don’t see it? Look harder.
 
CD4 said:
Are you refering to the window?
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Nope.

It’s that huge white cross beam on the wall behind the altar that:

on the horizontal bar, separates the window from the wall below it

on the vertical bar, divides the entire back wall (including the window portion above the horizontal bar) in half perfectly.

A giant plus sign shape.

See it now?
😦
 
Kayla, I am a 64 year old fellow, and I will almost sob during the lamb of God. I also do it whenever I hear an organ, especially a pipe organ. This sort of gets unhandy when I’m distributing communion. I’ve always been this way as long as I can remember, but whether it is a gift or not, I don’t know. Maybe the Holy Spirit prompts us to do it.
 
Good to see I’m not alone.

I’ve always cried at Sacraments - not just weddings, but Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, etc. It has been only recently that I have cried after receiving Communion. It has happened a few times at my parish, but very much so at a recent CRC Conference we attended. Even though Mass was held in a hotel ballroom (very tastefully done altar, though), I couldn’t help being moved. My kids probably thought I was crazy :o

Anyways, not much in the tears dept. at my parish until I went to Confession last week.😉

A priest at a neighboring parish has been working on a paper regarding the Gift of Tears. Next time I see him, I’ll ask if he’s finished with it yet.
 
It’s kind of reassuring to see all these criers. I’m fairly unemotional, and I’ve never wept during Mass, but there have been several times when after Communion I’ve cried. I think part of it is gratitude to Jesus for bringing me home. For most of my life I never thought of Communion, but now I think how close I was to never having it again.

So I know I get teary-eyed out of gratitude, remorse, relief, and sheer happiness. Knowing you don’t deserve something but someone loves you enough to give it to you anyway could bring many to tears.

ELane
 
“A priest said that if people really knew what they were recieving they would be literally crawling to recieve.”

Ooooo trust me! If I knew I wouldn’t get lectured I’d be back on my knees for communion in a heart beat!

This thread is SO COOL! I feel more normal with each new post. 🙂

“I’ve been warned repeatedly to not rely on my emotional responses as a yardstick for measureing my spiritual growth.”

Thanks for the warning but I don’t think that everyone here is measuring their spiritual growth solely on how hard they cry during Mass. I’ll bet that the tears shed at Mass are only a small slice of the pie and it sure seems that folks changed (or are changing) their lives after bawling at Mass.
Since this thread is specifically about crying at Mass that is what we are focusing on and I doubt that we are just a bunch of emotional bafoons. You do make an excellent point about “dry spells” though! It’s true: we have them and we must ride through them when they hit.
 
I too get emotional at certain points. I have been through a lot and I am now a reborn-Catholic and LOVE it! I hear that tears are a cleansing of the soul. I love to see people get emotional because that shows me they have a relation with GOD, so keep it up!
 
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