Going to the Blessed Sacrament

[Maria3m]

What’s the difference between talking to God at home and going to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament?

I’ve been crying so hard today. Doubt, uncertainty, questioning things I thought I had settled. Thoughts of not attending the Easter Vigil.

It didn’t help that I’d go to church, sit in the pews crying my heart out to Jesus, talk and pray more deeply than I ever had before…only to find out that I’m a dummy and the Blessed Sacrament isn’t there, but in a side chapel. :banghead:

I thought I was spending time with Jesus, but wasn’t, at least no different than if I just stayed at home…or did that ANYWHERE.
Is someone going to tell me Jesus hears me better if I sit in front of a Blessed Host? I couldn’t get any deeper and give more of myself than I did.

What’s happening? :crying: I was so convinced and even upset that I had to wait until the Easter Vigil, now I feel so much worse than when I started RCIA. More confused.

Someone will say it’s spiritual warfare. I’m starting to think we all talk mumbo jumbo. Almost like the Easter Bunny. Even though I am someone who posted about an experience with a demon.
Now, I just wonder was it my imagination.



I’m so sad that even if I went to church right now (where I want to be) I would be bawling so hard.
Each time I’m in church I cry. The mixture of feelings are so overwhelming.

What’s going on?

 

[Alison]

Hey Maria,
I am certain that there was much rejoicing in heaven that you approached the blessed scarment with the **intent ** to be in the presence of Christ. Certainly, praying before the blessed sacrament is a way in which we can physically be present before God, as he really is present before us in the blessed sacrament. Here are a few paragraphs on what you have asked written by Brother Raymond–please read to the end, I believe it is relevant to your question:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses places favorable to prayer. Certainly the first one we are familiar with is our parish church. This Easter Sunday we will gather there to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection. “The church, the house of God, is the proper place for the liturgical prayer of the parish community. It is also the privileged place for adoration of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. The choice of a favorable place (for prayer) is not a matter of indifference for true prayer.” (CCC #2691) The community gathering at a particular place for prayer goes back to the Old Testament. Certainly people went up to Jerusalem to pray at the Temple as a community on special feast days. The Jews also gathered at the local synagogue on the Sabbath for prayer and the reading of Sacred Scripture. Once the early Christians were no longer under persecution they built churches for communal worship. Before this they would set aside a particular part of a person’s house to meet for worship. We belong to a community of believers and form one Body in Christ. At church we gather to worship God as a community.

The church, however, is not only for community prayer. We must remember that in our churches Christ is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the tabernacle. Praying before Him in the Blessed Sacrament makes a difference in our prayer and also makes a difference to Jesus. Just as we like another person’s company so does Jesus like ours. He is not indifferent to our presence even though we, unfortunately, are sometimes indifferent to His. Jesus is not present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity everywhere as He is in the Holy Eucharist. Of course God is present to us everywhere. But God became Man to meet us on more familiar terms to our human nature, with a physical Person-to-person encounter. He continues His Presence in our tabernacles out of love for us.

Some people remain at home on Sundays claiming they can just as well pray at home. The Catechism reminds us that this is not true. Praying with our brethren-in-Christ and being in the Presence of Christ is not the same as praying in our home. Praying in the home has never been understood this way even from earliest times. Early Christians gathered on Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist as a community. They knew something was wrong if someone absented themselves from the Sunday Eucharist. Certainly Jesus gathered with His Apostles for communal prayer. He valued community prayer so much that He instituted His Eucharistic Presence within a setting of communal prayer. So, to stay at home on Sunday to pray, when not a case of necessity, is not a Christian attitude.

Now, with all that said, we can also pray at home. To foster prayer in our home it is a good idea to set up a prayer corner. “In the Christian family, this kind of little oratory fosters prayer in common.” (CCC #2691)

Monasteries have also traditionally been places for people to gather to pray. They are places that further the participation of the faithful in the Liturgy of the Hours. They also provide the faithful with the necessary solitude for more intense personal prayer.

Finally, pilgrimages to shrines have traditionally been special occasions for renewal in prayer. I will never forget my pilgrimage to the Holy Land. One couple on pilgrimage with me had been there over ten times. They just felt drawn to return every year. Shrines can be places of special graces for us. There are plenty here in the United States — maybe one nearby to you.

**Being human and not angels we are affected by where we pray. Not all places of prayer are equal, as we have seen. ** Now is the time for us to make space for that prayer place in our lives.

 

[viktor_aleksndr]

thought I was spending time with Jesus, but wasn’t, at least no different than if I just stayed at home…or did that ANYWHERE.
Is someone going to tell me Jesus hears me better if I sit in front of a Blessed Host? I couldn’t get any deeper and give more of myself than I did.

Jesus hears everybody’s prayer even you are not in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It is the purity of heart that Jesus want from us and not our verbal prayers. In front of the Sacrament though we are in front of Jesus because Jesus is present in the Eucharist Body and Blood Soul and Divinity.

When i go inside an Eucharistic Adoration i only pray for a while but i stayed there just staring at Him. I know that He also stares at me.

 

[blessedtoo]

Maria,

When I first returned to the Church after 25 years, I used to attend a Vespers service at the Cathedral because I wasn’t ready for a Mass. The first time I went, the priest carried this big, ornate, gold thing with a host in it to the altar and shook some incense at it. The faithful were saying prayers and singing and I sat in the back sobbing uncontrollably. Had no idea why.

Went the next week and the week after. Same thing happened.

I had no idea I was in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. But He knew I was there. And he opened up the heavens and poured down graces upon me. Just like He did with you when you visited Him in the “wrong” place.

I still cry at Church, before the Blessed Sacrament, during Confession, when receiving Communion. I will start to worry the day I stop crying. For me, the tears are a gift from God.

 

[Maria3m]

Thank you for your kind replies. I certainly would have understood if someone hadtten upset with me for what I wrote.

I apologize for my emotional outburst. Imagine what my poor family had put up with most of the weekend.

Soon after posting, I drove over to our church to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament. The doors to the side chapel, where the tabernacle is, were locked and something was going on in the main church so I went to the huge garden. I had brought along the book Praying in the Presence of Our Lord by Fr. Groeschel. Since I was upset (needing another excuse to be upset, I guess) I thought what good will it do since I’m not even in the church, but waaaay out in the meditation garden.

Without trying to…I opened the book to the following prayer and, you guessed it, started crying again. I won’t write it all because I’m sure if anyone wants to read it all or I’m even allowed to here on the forum, but you will see it’s exactly what I needed.

Away from The Eucharistic Presence

• O Lord, I now have a few minutes here away from the tabernacle.  You are not here in your sacramental presence.  I know you are present everywhere.  Yet I wish I now had the reassurance of your presence in the Eucharist.  You are here now as you are everywhere because you are the Word of God through whom all things are made.  You are present in the most remote places.  You are present in the most remote parts of the earth, in the depths of the sea, in the mysterious planets and the most distant starts.  If I meet only one other Christian and we speak of you or to you, you are there.*

• But I need to be near you as you were here on earth in your humanity as well as your divinity.  I know that your sacramental presence is not far from me......*

I really need to start carrying some tissue…or a towel. LOL
I’m a mess after spending time talking to Jesus. I just don’t understand why the emotions (the crying) is getting so strong now. I thought I’d be more on the joyous side with a big smile, not trying to get out of the church without running into something because I’ve cried so much my eyes are puffy.

Thanks to anyone who read all of this.

 

[anon49823460]

Maria,

Thank you for sharing the prayer (and your story).

I pray that the peace, peace of Jesus Christ be with you and please know that God is please with you bringing your troubles to Him. Keep seeking Him and you will NOT be dissappointed.

 

[maggiemay]

Thank you for your kind replies.

I really need to start carrying some tissue…or a towel. LOL
I’m a mess after spending time talking to Jesus. I just don’t understand why the emotions (the crying) is getting so strong now. I thought I’d be more on the joyous side with a big smile, not trying to get out of the church without running into something because I’ve cried so much my eyes are puffy.

Thanks to anyone who read all of this.

Maria,
God bless you! I returned to the Church 4 years ago after being separated for many years. I still cry in the presence of Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist and at Mass, especially after I’ve received Him in the Eucharist.
I think the reason we cry in His presence is because we realize how unworthy we are of His love and gifts; crying is the result of the contrition we feel for having caused Him so much pain. For myself, I know the sorrow and tears are gifts from Our Blessed Lord to remind me how much in need I am of His Mercy!
May the Lord bless you on your journey and keep you always longing for Him!.

 

[mariam1976]

Maria,
God bless you! I returned to the Church 4 years ago after being separated for many years. I still cry in the presence of Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist and at Mass, especially after I’ve received Him in the Eucharist.
I think the reason we cry in His presence is because we realize how unworthy we are of His love and gifts; crying is the result of the contrition we feel for having caused Him so much pain. For myself, I know the sorrow and tears are gifts from Our Blessed Lord to remind me how much in need I am of His Mercy!
May the Lord bless you on your journey and keep you always longing for Him!.

i agree with this!!!

 

[puzzleannie]

What’s the difference between talking to God at home and going to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament?

I’ve been crying so hard today. Doubt, uncertainty, questioning things I thought I had settled. Thoughts of not attending the Easter Vigil.

It didn’t help that I’d go to church, sit in the pews crying my heart out to Jesus, talk and pray more deeply than I ever had before…only to find out that I’m a dummy and the Blessed Sacrament isn’t there, but in a side chapel. :banghead:
/quote]
I miss my daughter, who is in great anxiety with her pregnancy. We can e-mail each other, which is certainly communicating, but not optimal. We can and do write long letters to each other, satisfying but not immediate. We can talk on the phone, better, but not realy satisfactory, esp. if I get interrupted by co-workers and she gets interrupted by 2 yr old all during the conversation. Best would be going to see here, but when I do, sometimes her time is taken up with school, work, family and other commitments, but still I enjoy just being there, being around them. being part of their life for the few weeks I stay with them. Ideal would be onene time with her but it seldom happens even when we try very hard.

Does any of this diminish our love and concer for each other? Of course not. Sometimes she just calls me or sends an e-mail just to rant, so I listen, even if I can’t give her any practical help. Sometimes she does not want my advice or help (or nagging) just wants me to listen.

 

[Michael_Howard]

Thank you for sharing your heart, it’s really sends down those rays of inspiration and hope. The first thing that came to mind is “God draws close to the brokenhearted”. The first time I entered an adoration chapel it was about a year before my conversion. I was immediately overwhelmed by what I was feeling, it was like being in the presence of the purest love, like that love was reaching out to me and so close. I was completely undone, my hands were shaking so hard I had to clasp them tightly together, my heart was racing and I had to fight with all my might not to start sobbing.

I went home and told my wife about my experience and not really knowing how to convey what I felt or even what the Eucharist truely was I said something like, "I was sitting before the bread, I mean the communion…uhhh, GOD WAS THERE AND IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!!! My wife thought I went mental.

None of it was contrived, no worship music, no hysteria, no working ones self into an emotional worship fenzy, no one yelling from the pulpit, stuff that I was coming out of, it was simply Jesus, ALL OF HIM!! His beautiful presence in the quiet.J

esus is such a contradiction to the wise and the puffed up, but reveals himself to the children and those with childlike hearts. He came as a baby to defy the wise religious leaders, now he gives Himself fully and completely under the appearence of bread and wine.I have friends, good protestant friends who scoff at this, who mock it, but isn’t it just like our Lord to come in ways that defy the wisdom of the world? Thank you for sharing your heart with us, I needed to hear this before mass tonight.