Everyday miracles at Mass?

[Goblin_Taters]

I’ve only been to a few High Masses in my lifetime, and the few I’ve been to have only been in the past year. Today, Palm Sunday, marks the anniversary of my first attendance at a High Mass. Today, I decided to go to the same church for Palm Sunday High Mass.

The past few weeks, even months, have been particularly rough for me, pysically, mentally and spiritually. I hadn’t been to a Sunday Mass, either Novus Ordo or Traditional Mass for weeks. Although most of the past two years I’ve been going to a Divine Liturgy, I had fallen away from going to them on a regular basis, due to confusion (Orthodox? Catholic?) and health problems.

In any case, I went to the Indult Latin Mass today, and for much of the Mass I was empty, depressed, and in pain. Throughout the Mass I prayed to St. Joseph and Jesus, and I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner. The Mass was beautiful, but the singing and solemnities were not really penetrating into me, I was so distant and without feeling. Even after going to confession right before Mass, I still didn’t feel any better.

Then, right before going up to receive the Eucharist, it suddenly seemed that everything was getting a little brighter. At first I thought that it was light shining more brightly through the stained-glass windows, but then I genuinely thought it was an enlightening from within my sense perception. It felt like my interior vision of things was being filled with light. My limbs which until then and for many days were filled with an indescribable heaviness and sickness, suddenly lightened up and felt clean. I still didn’t feel great, but I felt recognizably better.

It’s funny: most of my life I’ve gone to Novus Ordo Masses, and I’ve never experienced what I’ve experience at the High Masses I’ve attended, and even at Divine Liturgies. When I attend High Masses I feel as though I’m experiencing Latin Catholicism at its fullest, and not watered down. But that’s IMHO.

I also notice that after attending High Masses and sometimes Divine Liturgies my day oftentimes is heightened in joy.

Does anybody else experience this?

 

[Uxor]

I’ve only been to a few High Masses in my lifetime, and the few I’ve been to have only been in the past year. Today, Palm Sunday, marks the anniversary of my first attendance at a High Mass. Today, I decided to go to the same church for Palm Sunday High Mass.

The past few weeks, even months, have been particularly rough for me, pysically, mentally and spiritually. I hadn’t been to a Sunday Mass, either Novus Ordo or Traditional Mass for weeks. Although most of the past two years I’ve been going to a Divine Liturgy, I had fallen away from going to them on a regular basis, due to confusion (Orthodox? Catholic?) and health problems.

In any case, I went to the Indult Latin Mass today, and for much of the Mass I was empty, depressed, and in pain. Throughout the Mass I prayed to St. Joseph and Jesus, and I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner. The Mass was beautiful, but the singing and solemnities were not really penetrating into me, I was so distant and without feeling. Even after going to confession right before Mass, I still didn’t feel any better.

Then, right before going up to receive the Eucharist, it suddenly seemed that everything was getting a little brighter. At first I thought that it was light shining more brightly through the stained-glass windows, but then I genuinely thought it was an enlightening from within my sense perception. It felt like my interior vision of things was being filled with light. My limbs which until then and for many days were filled with an indescribable heaviness and sickness, suddenly lightened up and felt clean. I still didn’t feel great, but I felt recognizably better.

It’s funny: most of my life I’ve gone to Novus Ordo Masses, and I’ve never experienced what I’ve experience at the High Masses I’ve attended, and even at Divine Liturgies. When I attend High Masses I feel as though I’m experiencing Latin Catholicism at its fullest, and not watered down. But that’s IMHO.

I also notice that after attending High Masses and sometimes Divine Liturgies my day oftentimes is heightened in joy.

Does anybody else experience this?

Yup. You will feel joy all week through too

 

[ncjohn]

I guess I’m just lucky as I feel similar types of things at our NO Mass most of the time, unless something has greatly distracted me before going in.

It on occasion literally brings me to tears, which embarassed me at one time, but about which I have no concern any more.

Peace,

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

The past few weeks, even months, have been particularly rough for me, pysically, mentally and spiritually.
In any case, I went to the Indult Latin Mass today, and for much of the Mass I was empty, depressed, and in pain. Throughout the Mass I prayed to St. Joseph and Jesus, and I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner. The Mass was beautiful, but the singing and solemnities were not really penetrating into me, I was so distant and without feeling. Even after going to confession right before Mass, I still didn’t feel any better.

Then, right before going up to receive the Eucharist, it suddenly seemed that everything was getting a little brighter. At first I thought that it was light shining more brightly through the stained-glass windows, but then I genuinely thought it was an enlightening from within my sense perception. It felt like my interior vision of things was being filled with light. My limbs which until then and for many days were filled with an indescribable heaviness and sickness, suddenly lightened up and felt clean. I still didn’t feel great, but I felt recognizably better.

It’s funny: most of my life I’ve gone to Novus Ordo Masses, and I’ve never experienced what I’ve experience at the High Masses I’ve attended, and even at Divine Liturgies. When I attend High Masses I feel as though I’m experiencing Latin Catholicism at its fullest, and not watered down. But that’s IMHO.

I also notice that after attending High Masses and sometimes Divine Liturgies my day oftentimes is heightened in joy.

Does anybody else experience this?

Sorry to say it, but I think you are fooling yourself. The Tridentine Rite was unfamiliar, and that gave you a sense of spiritual lift, just as some people get a sense of wellbeing from going to a yoga class or having needles stuck into them.

If your problems are mainly social and psychological rather than physical then having any sort of interest will be a good thing. A religious interest is particularly good because it brings you into contact with people who at least have a formal commitment to solid values. However it takes a long time. You mustn’t expect sudden healing rays from the altar.

Prayers can be answered. Social activity won’t normally cure ailments with a physical underling cause. Miraculous answers to prayer are rare and you will probably only be disappointed if you seek after them. This is particularly true if an normal, unmiraculous cure is available.

Tridentine Masses do tend to be rather better done than the NO version and many people prefer them. That only becomes a problem if it turns into a boycott of NO Masses.

 

[rtconstant]

I’m glad that your spirits were lifted. I would be inclined to think though that this was more due to answered prayer. The power of the Mass comes from the presence of Our Lord which is in either mass. However you had special need of the Lord yesterday and he answered your prayers. We serve a good God.

 

[Uxor]

Sorry to say it, but I think you are fooling yourself. The Tridentine Rite was unfamiliar, and that gave you a sense of spiritual lift, just as some people get a sense of wellbeing from going to a yoga class or having needles stuck into them.

You have to be kidding me…comparing santifying grace with a yoga class or needles stuck in them. [edited by moderator] Even going to Confesssion feels like the bricks are lifted off your shoulders.

If your problems are mainly social and psychological rather than physical then having any sort of interest will be a good thing. A religious interest is particularly good because it brings you into contact with people who at least have a formal commitment to solid values. However it takes a long time. You mustn’t expect sudden healing rays from the altar.

You’re greatly underestimating God.

Prayers can be answered. Social activity won’t normally cure ailments with a physical underling cause. Miraculous answers to prayer are rare and you will probably only be disappointed if you seek after them. This is particularly true if an normal, unmiraculous cure is available.

The Tridentine Mass is not a social activity. I have miraculous all the time, [edited by moderator]

Tridentine Masses do tend to be rather better done than the NO version and many people prefer them. That only becomes a problem if it turns into a boycott of NO Masses.

If the NO Mass damages your spiritually, yes you should seek a Traditional Mass.

 

[BobP123]

Tridentine Masses do tend to be rather better done than the NO version and many people prefer them. That only becomes a problem if it turns into a boycott of NO Masses.

The boycott of NO Masses started a long time before the TLM reappeared. I think we better pray that the TLM will bring back all the Prodigal Sons.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

If the NO Mass damages your spiritually, yes you should seek a Traditional Mass.

The NO Mass cannot damage anyone’s spirituality. An abused Mass, of any rite? Certainly.

 

[Jean_Anthony]

This thread is going off topic. Please return to it. Thank you, everyone.

 

[MTD]

Throughout the Mass I prayed to St. Joseph and Jesus, and I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner.

…]

Then, right before going up to receive the Eucharist, it suddenly seemed that everything was getting a little brighter.

It is not without reason that Our Lord said: “Come to Me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” (Matt. 11:28)

Maria

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

You have to be kidding me…comparing santifying grace with a yoga class or needles stuck in them. Even going to Confesssion feels like the bricks are lifted off your shoulders.

You’re greatly underestimating God.

The Tridentine Mass is not a social activity. I have miraculous all the time,

If the NO Mass damages your spiritually, yes you should seek a Traditional Mass.

A Mass with more than one person present is by definition, a social activity. In a perfectly normal, non-miraculous way it will tend to have benefits, and there is nothing wrong with this, unless the benefits to the participants become the sole object in attending the Mass.
By analogy, friends can be a good source of interest free loans in times of financial distress, but it would be wrong to seek out friends for that purpose alone.

Improper or inappropriate worship of the one true God can be superstition. Whilst the OP was not doing anything improper in a formal sense, it was beginning to veer that way. That fact that a Tridentine Mass was the vehicle to which unrealistic hopes attached shouldn’t fool us. Miracles very occasionally do occur at such Masses, but very occasionally. However we can more realistically hope for a slow and steady growth in faith. It takes time and isn’t a quick fix.

 

[Goblin_Taters]

Originally Posted by Malcom:

Improper or inappropriate worship of the one true God can be superstition. Whilst the OP was not doing anything improper in a formal sense, it was beginning to veer that way. That fact that a Tridentine Mass was the vehicle to which unrealistic hopes attached shouldn’t fool us. Miracles very occasionally do occur at such Masses, but very occasionally. However we can more realistically hope for a slow and steady growth in faith. It takes time and isn’t a quick fix.

I think you are misguided in your opinions. It’s not hope in the Tridentine Mass but hope in the Christ, God Incarnate, who offers himself up to God the Father, along with the offerings of the body, at each Mass. It is the same Christ who says ask anything in my name and it shall be done for you. To forget these facts is to miss the heart of the Mass and Christ’s promises, which you do not do formally but veer in that direction.

 

[Ceil-1]

I find the preparatory prayers in the front of the Tridentine missal
very conducive to preparing me for the Mass. There is something about the language used that brings about a proper understanding of what is taking place.

I think language in our time is so sparse and coarse, it is unable to convey the beauty of it all.

 

[Brenda_V]

Improper or inappropriate worship of the one true God can be superstition. Whilst the OP was not doing anything improper in a formal sense, it was beginning to veer that way. That fact that a Tridentine Mass was the vehicle to which unrealistic hopes attached shouldn’t fool us. Miracles very occasionally do occur at such Masses, but very occasionally. However we can more realistically hope for a slow and steady growth in faith. It takes time and isn’t a quick fix.

I am going to disagree with this. Our OP here said that he/she felt better at a certain point in the Mass. I am going to say that it may not have been the kind of miracle where a complete cure occurred. A miracle did indeed occur; Jesus was present, body, blood, soul, and divinity. Goblin_Taters felt a lifting of her/his spirit at this point in time, for him/her it was a miracle!

I have felt such miracles at the NO Mass at the Consecration myself. It is not the kind of miracle where I gained sight or hearing or some other “visible” miracle but for some of us, having our spirits lifted, sadness removed from us, if even for a short period of time, is a miracle.

Goblin_Taters - if attending a TLM gives you this lift of Spirit then continue to go!

One side note though, Uxor, I have been going to Confession for the last 40 years of my life and have only felt that “bricks off my shoulders” once! Not everyone feels this after Confession and for so many years I felt that I must be doing something wrong until maturity, Spritual and age related, helped me see differently.

Brenda V.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I’ve only been to a few High Masses in my lifetime, and the few I’ve been to have only been in the past year. Today, Palm Sunday, marks the anniversary of my first attendance at a High Mass. Today, I decided to go to the same church for Palm Sunday High Mass.

The past few weeks, even months, have been particularly rough for me, pysically, mentally and spiritually. I hadn’t been to a Sunday Mass, either Novus Ordo or Traditional Mass for weeks. Although most of the past two years I’ve been going to a Divine Liturgy, I had fallen away from going to them on a regular basis, due to confusion (Orthodox? Catholic?) and health problems.

In any case, I went to the Indult Latin Mass today, and for much of the Mass I was empty, depressed, and in pain. Throughout the Mass I prayed to St. Joseph and Jesus, and I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner. The Mass was beautiful, but the singing and solemnities were not really penetrating into me, I was so distant and without feeling. Even after going to confession right before Mass, I still didn’t feel any better.

Then, right before going up to receive the Eucharist, it suddenly seemed that everything was getting a little brighter. At first I thought that it was light shining more brightly through the stained-glass windows, but then I genuinely thought it was an enlightening from within my sense perception. It felt like my interior vision of things was being filled with light. My limbs which until then and for many days were filled with an indescribable heaviness and sickness, suddenly lightened up and felt clean. I still didn’t feel great, but I felt recognizably better.

It’s funny: most of my life I’ve gone to Novus Ordo Masses, and I’ve never experienced what I’ve experience at the High Masses I’ve attended, and even at Divine Liturgies. When I attend High Masses I feel as though I’m experiencing Latin Catholicism at its fullest, and not watered down. But that’s IMHO.

I also notice that after attending High Masses and sometimes Divine Liturgies my day oftentimes is heightened in joy.

Does anybody else experience this?

“No”, is the answer to the question in the title - miracles have to be perceptible to senses: so the Consecration, & experiences of grace within a person, don’t count. That doesn’t make such experiences unimportant or valueless; not at all - it means only that that they are not miracles.​

As for such experiences, I’ve felt something not wholly dissimilar at an Orthodox Liturgy, & at the “NO”; but not at the old Mass. One’s experiences are too elusive to be a reliable standard by which to judge a liturgy or liturgical act. Experience is important, it is not something we should ignore - but it is not a good standard by which to judge that sort of thing. ##