Having A Problem About The Eucharist

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lakotak

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I go to Mass everyday because I am drawn to. However, it seems, that my head believes that I receive Jesus in the Eucharist, but I am not sure my heart does. This is really hard to explain, but I am hoping that others have had what I am going to describe and can offer some insight.

In a nutshell, I don’t seem to feel anything at all when I receive Communion, yet very often I do have the Gift of Tears. I am so confused at this point. I am thinking maybe I am getting off on feelings here. But I just keep thinking that I should feel something as I receive Jesus. I wonder if I am offending Him in anyway by approaching him with no feelings of anything toward Him in the Eucharist. However, a good portion of the time, I have strong feelings of love for Him otherwise. I just don’t understand how I can approach Him and receive Him and not feel any kind of love for Him at the moment I receive Him.But many times I do cry, but most of the time it is just a nothingness that I feel towards Him in The Eucharist. I don’t want to feel this way, but I don’t seem to have a choice. I just don’t understand this. This has been bothering me and confusing me for a long time, but today, I am just upset over it. Has anyone had to deal with this also. I don’t know if I am explaining it properly. What I am going through or not going through is really hard to put into words that adequately explain my situation.

I am sure others have had this problem or a similar one that can offer me some insight. Insights into what is happening is most appreciated.
 
Maybe you are expecting fireworks or something that just aren’t going to be there. if someone asked you “Do you think the Eucharist is really Jesus?” what would you answer? If you answered yes, would you feel like you lied? If you could answer yes without deception, you believe.
I think Jesus understands that you want to believe at the very least. Even the disciples said “This is a hard teaching…” Peter could only agree that it is difficult to understand, but to whom else could he go? I think you are doing your best to understand a mystery. Just believe wherever–head or heart–and receive Him with love. He is there with you! You might want to discuss this with your priest or spiritual director. Maybe you can get more helpful advice than I can give. I will pray for you, though, to feel more peace.
 
I’ve experienced this too so I doubt that it’s uncommon. We often don’t have a lot of control over how we feel. We approach the Eucharist with the faith that this is Jesus. We receive Him in obedience to His command. Obedience is always pleasing to Him. We can honestly thank Him for this gift of Himself after we receive Him even if we don’t feel the connection at that instant.

I would think this is analogous to married people making love. One of them may not have the desire for this act at a particular time but, out of love for the other, participates in it. The love is there but not the feelings (not that the feelings are never there, just not in that instance).

We know that Jesus dearly wants us to receive Him. It’s very satisfying to ourselves if we feel that we are welcoming and loving Him. Maybe He appreciates our dryness even more; I don’t know but it could be so.

Sometimes at mass I’ve asked the Holy Spirit to fill me with His love so I could welcome Jesus at communion time and He has. But don’t be discouraged, I think you’re still pleasing to Jesus.
 
This may seem odd, but maybe read the book Dr At Calvary or watch the Passion of the Christ, or something along that line. I suggest this because maybe it will help you remember how much Jesus loved us and what He was willing to do to show us that love. Spiritual dryness is common but it is something we need to work at to get past or we can become lazy. I think that sometimes it is God’s desire for us to have spiritual dryness for a while, that way we see things in a different light when we come back, kind of a growth period for us. Also when (if you do) you say the Rosary,ask Mary to help you with this. It won’t be over night, but Mary will help. Sometimes our greatest love for Jesus comes out of our struggle to love Him. He knows us and knows why we struggle, even if we don’t know why, and continues to guide us closer to Him and bestow blessings on us.
 
Another source you could look at is Bishop Sheen. I am sure he has great lectures on the Eucharist. He has a way of taking a light hearted approach to his topics. 🙂
 
I think everyone has felt this way at times, at least. I also attend daily Mass and have for several years. As humans our minds wander, sometimes I snap back to the mass and realize I have missed the consecration. I think we have to be more open to Christ more of the time. We cannot expect to live in the world with its influences 99% of the time and expect to just flip a switch at mass and feel Christ’s presence.

Also, I think our faith is tested by believing without constant “feelings”, “signs”, etc. Remember the admission by Mother Theresa about her long spiritual night. Many saints have experienced the same thing.

I think that as humans we may place too much emphasis on “feelings”. I heard a story on Catholic Radio recently where someone wondered how angels “felt” because they could see the face of God constantly; so he decided to ask his guardian angel. This person said that his guardian angel answered him and told him he/she did not “feel” anything because they did not have a body. This raises a whole new question about us humans; after our resurrection, we will have new bodies, will we be able to “feel” things that the angels cannot? I would guess yes.
 
**Mark 9:14-29
**As Jesus came down the mountain with Peter, James, and John and approaching the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.” He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.” They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith." Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, "Why could we not drive it out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”
**
Pray this often - ask God to help you to grow in your Faith. He does not disappoint. 😉

~Liza
 
An emotional response is a consolation that some are granted and some are not. It is not wrong to desire it, but if you don’t get it, there is not anything necessarily wrong with you. In fact, it is not uncommon in the lives of the saints to find that later in their lives they sometimes experienced terrible dryness in their entire prayer life.

If you ever get tears or intense emotions during prayer, that is a gift, and not one that can be taken for granted to ever come again.

As for your heart, the sense in which your heart is important is also known as your will. What is the seat of your self-direction choosing? That is the sense in which your heart has to be in it. It is not the same as having the active participation of your emotions, which I’d call your gut. You may ask for that, you may remove barriers to it, but there aren’t any guarantees.

You sound very devoted. I don’t say you can keep it from causing any suffering, but do not feel a need to be anxious when choosing a life of virtue doesn’t produce the consolations you’d like. That does not mean you have chosen incorrectly or wrongly. It simply means there is an unnecessary though pleasurable and consoling pay-off that you might have hoped for that you’re not getting. Don’t let that trouble you. Just offer it up as a penance that you accept, and make that penitential acceptance your act of love for Our Lord in the Eucharist.
 
Lakotak,
From your post i think you are there and you are doubting. Your mention of the giift of tears, that is the Holy Spirit. There is a teaching of unicity or circuncession of God, If you have one the others are there also.
What I find for myself is I may not realize or feel anything at the time but later things seem different. My day tells me I have recieved. You might also try Padre Pio’s “after communion prayer”. Above all be still and know. Get in touch with your guardian angel, He will help you if you ask.
God Bless!!!
Norval
 
gakroeger said:
I think everyone has felt this way at times, at least. I also attend daily Mass and have for several years. As humans our minds wander, sometimes I snap back to the mass and realize I have missed the consecration. I think we have to be more open to Christ more of the time. We cannot expect to live in the world with its influences 99% of the time and expect to just flip a switch at mass and feel Christ’s presence.

Also, I think our faith is tested by believing without constant “feelings”, “signs”, etc. Remember the admission by Mother Theresa about her long spiritual night. Many saints have experienced the same thing.

I think that as humans we may place too much emphasis on “feelings”. I heard a story on Catholic Radio recently where someone wondered how angels “felt” because they could see the face of God constantly; so he decided to ask his guardian angel. This person said that his guardian angel answered him and told him he/she did not “feel” anything because they did not have a body. This raises a whole new question about us humans; after our resurrection, we will have new bodies, will we be able to “feel” things that the angels cannot? I would guess yes.
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How would the angels love God, through their will and obedience? Then would God the Father love us through His Will since He does not have a body?
 
lakotak said:
How would the angels love God, through their will and obedience? Then would God the Father love us through His Will since He does not have a body?
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I would guess yes, the angels love God through their will and obedience. Jesus, God the Son does have a body. Remember the resurrection?
 
I would like to thank all you for your help. After reading your insights, I think my problem goes back to 'feelings". I had a real problem with feelings in my early years in the Church and finally overcame them in many areas of my faith journey. I think it is just cropping up again with the Eucharist. Your insights have helped me get my thoughts back on track and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I see more clearly now. Feel free to share further thought on this, as I just wanted to thank you. Many times someone else can see what you yourself are too close to be able to see the details of the picture.

God Bless
 
I’ve read that sometimes God gives grace to a person in such a way that they are not aware of it, perhaps if they are not ready to feel it yet. Try to not focus on the feelings 🙂 He is still there. Try to offer Him all your love when you receive the Eucharist, through your intention, and He will receive it.
 
Monica4316 said:
I’ve read that sometimes God gives grace to a person in such a way that they are not aware of it, perhaps if they are not ready to feel it yet. Try to not focus on the feelings 🙂 He is still there. Try to offer Him all your love when you receive the Eucharist, through your intention, and He will receive it.
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Thanks Monica for your insight and suggestions. Thanks to all who have shared their thoughts and insights with me, I am doing much better. I know I have been slipping into the old feelings game. In my past, I have had a really bad time trying to overcome this, but with God’s help, for the most part, I have. I think Satan knows my weakness on this and I have just given into temptation. But I think my eyes have been opened.

Thank you.
 
lakotak said:
Thanks Monica for your insight and suggestions. Thanks to all who have shared their thoughts and insights with me, I am doing much better. I know I have been slipping into the old feelings game. In my past, I have had a really bad time trying to overcome this, but with God’s help, for the most part, I have. I think Satan knows my weakness on this and I have just given into temptation. But I think my eyes have been opened.

Thank you.
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the devil always uses our weaknesses. He does this all the time with me too… my weakness is doubt, and he always puts fears in my mind regarding my doubts. Try to trust God, this will really help, and if it comes back talk to a priest cause the devil hates that too 🙂
 
Monica4316 said:
the devil always uses our weaknesses. He does this all the time with me too… my weakness is doubt, and he always puts fears in my mind regarding my doubts. Try to trust God, this will really help, and if it comes back talk to a priest cause the devil hates that too 🙂
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I have a lot of problems with doubts in my past too, until I realized one little simple thing. I cannot lose and long for something I have never experienced. If I have never experienced God’s presence, then doubts would not bother me, I would have no reason for them. I cannot fear losing something I have never really and truly experienced. Maybe if you try to think about it like this, it might help. I am still plagued with doubts, but I just think of the above and brush them off. You know you have experienced God’s presence, He is there, so why fear doubts? How can you fear losing something you know you already have and have experienced?
 
The Lord, who loves us so much, wants us to spiritually mature. That is why he allows us to feel nothing…so we can make acts of faith in spite of no feelings.

I used to tell my children when they were younger: "Sometimes God gives you a spiritual “lollipop”. Something you can enjoy. Will we love Him when he doesn’t give us treats? (consolations, good feelings).

Just make acts of faith, and you can be sure He is gracing you according to your needs.
 
Lakotak,
I realize this seems to be off the subject but it really isn’t. You mentioned the angels when they made their choice they surrendered their wills to God. We mortals have our being in God, however we have this fatal flaw, being human. As long as we exist we can be sure that God is with us because we have our being in Him. Our purpose is to surrender completely to God. He loves us in a way we are not capable of understanding and wants to care for us in every way. All we really have to do is surrender and follow His Word. That is what all the saints have done.
The saints also experienced a “dark night of the soul”. Satan is not going to try and break something that is already broken. In an Ultrea Group we realized it was only when things were going real smooth that it was a warning we were not on the true path.
In a heart attack I had in Montana right after I realized what was happening and had some one call for help, I put the whole thing in Jesus’s Hands. As soon as I had done that half the pain disappeared. All the telemetry from the ambulance, the local hospital, and the life flight confirmed I was having a heart attack. When I was on the table the doctor asked for the scalpel, looked up at the monitor and said, “look at that everything is normal”. I have always believed that Divine Intervention occurred. I know that I did not do anything and I credit surrender to Jesus.
I always pray that I will be able to surrender more and more. This human condition is difficult to work with. The goal is to surrender so completely that we do not exist. Saint Paul said, “I live now not I but Christ lives in me.”
If Satan is bothering you rejoice, you are on the right path.
God Bless!!!
Norval
There is also the option of going to Eucharistic Miracles on line and read and observe the Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano Italy. It occurred in about 723 or 725 AD and still exists. Just lasting almost 1300 years is a miracle in its.self. It is very interesting.
 
Norval said:
Lakotak,
I realize this seems to be off the subject but it really isn’t. You mentioned the angels when they made their choice they surrendered their wills to God. We mortals have our being in God, however we have this fatal flaw, being human. As long as we exist we can be sure that God is with us because we have our being in Him. Our purpose is to surrender completely to God. He loves us in a way we are not capable of understanding and wants to care for us in every way. All we really have to do is surrender and follow His Word. That is what all the saints have done.
The saints also experienced a “dark night of the soul”. Satan is not going to try and break something that is already broken. In an Ultrea Group we realized it was only when things were going real smooth that it was a warning we were not on the true path.
In a heart attack I had in Montana right after I realized what was happening and had some one call for help, I put the whole thing in Jesus’s Hands. As soon as I had done that half the pain disappeared. All the telemetry from the ambulance, the local hospital, and the life flight confirmed I was having a heart attack. When I was on the table the doctor asked for the scalpel, looked up at the monitor and said, “look at that everything is normal”. I have always believed that Divine Intervention occurred. I know that I did not do anything and I credit surrender to Jesus.
I always pray that I will be able to surrender more and more. This human condition is difficult to work with. The goal is to surrender so completely that we do not exist. Saint Paul said, “I live now not I but Christ lives in me.”
If Satan is bothering you rejoice, you are on the right path.
God Bless!!!
Norval
There is also the option of going to Eucharistic Miracles on line and read and observe the Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano Italy. It occurred in about 723 or 725 AD and still exists. Just lasting almost 1300 years is a miracle in its.self. It is very interesting.
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Thank you for sharing your story with me and all of us here. When I started the thread, I was really worried, guilty that when I approached Jesus, I felt nothing, but yet I am drawn to receive. This is something that is hard to explain and experience. After reading all the members thoughts and insights, I realize two things. First, I am just having problems with the feelings issue in this area of my faith. I have pretty much overcome it in other areas and I also realize that I am not used to the peace and calm of God being in my soul. This is where I think the problem is. I have the peace and calm, but I don’t have the emotional rollercoaster of feelings that I have had all my life. Like if you are used to eating junk food all your life, when someone offers you the good stuff for you, you don’t usually like it even though it is much better for you. You can’t see this until you start to experience it over a period of time. So I think my feelings have been replaced with the peace and calm that only God can give. Sort of like a nothingness, but peaceful. I don’t know if this makes sense or not. I find it somewhat hard to explain. I try to surrender to Jesus each day.
 
This was a big stumbling block for me as a Protestant. It was impossible for me to imagine at first that Christ would humble himself in this manner. This was something I eventually got over as the Blessed Virgin Mary guided me and I began to see humility in a much different light - there was a depth to humility that I hadn’t even fathomed before.

While I didn’t see this video until weeks after my Confirmation and First Communion, I think it may help those who tend to struggle with this great and wonderful mystery! Our Lord, uniting Himself with us and uniting us together with all our brothers and sister who belong to Holy Mother Church!

Our Lord giving all of himself to us everyday!
 
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