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Sword_Brethren
Guest
Mercygate,
Very good point. We believe with our intellect not our feelings.
Very good point. We believe with our intellect not our feelings.
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pismopal
Guest
I had a nagging feeling (tugging too) when I was a Baptist that communion was more than just a side issue to be dealt with at Sunday evening service. I had been reading John and even to a casual Christian like me there was something missing. This was the most important issue but there were others certainly but thats another thread. I began my own education by reading the Catechism (recommended oddly enough by my pentacostal minister brother in law) and also the recommended Bible verses listed in the Catechism. This was a big jump for me because I had heard all the usual anti Catholic bias and had repeated most of it. I am Catholic now and when I take Holy Communion I am receiving the body-blood-soul and divinity of our Lord. That is a far cry from before and it has taken care of that “nagging”. I am also more aware of my need to be in a state of grace so I watch my behavior more closely and utilize Confession when I need it so that I am able to receive Holy Communion properly. What I am trying to say is how these Church Sacraments work together for me( it isn’t a coincidence) to keep myself as tuned up as possible.
Am I recommending the Church to you…yes, I certainly am but you should read as much as you can about the Church…history and dogma. It made supreme sense to me and I hope you might have the same experience but at the very least you will read the truth about the Church and not just opinion. Keep us posted regarding your experience one way or the other please.
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Brian_C
Guest
I was raised Southern Baptist and “Lord’s Supper” was just something neat we did every now and then to commemorate the Last Supper. Nothing more. I knew Catholics held a different view but not until I got a lot older did I realize there were major differences between Baptists and Catholics in this regard. I had thought the only difference was that Catholics used real wine and not grape juice. Now as a faithful Catholic I can’t tell you how much the Eucharist means to me. It is such a wonderful event! I had NO idea what the early Church believed about the Eucharist and it makes so much sense to me. My former practices seem so hollow and empty now. Perhaps those coming from protestant denominations or other churches who partake in “Lord’s Supper” or what have you more often than my church did, it may not seem as stark a difference. But in my former church, “Lord’s Supper” was something rolled out for Easter, Christmas, and perhaps one or two other random times in the year. I don’t know if it was being saved for extra special occasions or if it was something that wasn’t felt was worth the hassle.
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water
Guest
Ahh. Feelings can be changed, but knowing is something different.
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AlegreFe
Guest
Have you ever wondered why the feelings are not so different?
If you indeed knew that you were receiving Jesus you would have never left the Catholic Church. I really think that is why you feel no difference. Think about it. Pray about it please. I will also pray for you.
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DDClark
Guest
Indeed knowing is completely different than feeling.
There are days that I don’t feel love for someone, but love is a verb. It must be connected to action to be real. Being faithful (in spite of my feelings) is critical.
I am grateful for the honest answers and offers of prayer.
I have more reading and pondering and prayer ahead of me.
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water
Guest
I was reading in a section called “Interior conversion” in the book “The Imitation of Christ”, and this part of a sentence somehow connected my thought to your post. I can’t say much about it, but I find it might be something you could ponder on:
“…let your thoughts dwell on the Passion of Christ, finding in those sacred wounds a home.”
If one is thinking about the Holy Communion, one must think of the Passion of Christ.
God bless you!
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b_justb
Guest
This is a great question and thread.
I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness. The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) have what most people would call a Communion Service once a year (they refer to it as “The Memorial”) on the anniversary of Jesus’ death as indicated on the Jewish calendar (14 Nissan). Since the JW believe that only 144,000 go to heaven only a very small percentage of people partake during the ceremony. Unleavened bread and red wine are passed from person to person where they are sitting or standing in the meeting hall (called a Kingdom Hall). Each person is given the opportunity to take or pass the bread and wine. If anyone partakes, the attendant’s record who did and the numbers are forwarded to the central office for record keeping and reporting (News letters come out after and say how many attended world wide, how many partook, etc.). I never partook of the bread and wine in the JW memorial as I was taught I was not going to heaven, so I was ineligible to partake.
Fast forward to now: There is a poster here who’s name I cannot recall but he has/had a fantastic picture in his signature block of a priest bowing before a huge altar cross while holding the consecrated host and above the cross heaven opens, an angel holds aloft the host to the glory of the Presence of God as depicted as rays of light descending from heaven down to the alter where the priest is bowing. I just love that pic, it is exactly what I had pictured in my head and someone painted it. At every mass I kneel in anticipation of the moment of consecration. Christ is coming, Christ is coming … then He arrives. He is here! I wish I could export my feelings and ideas into people that have voiced to me their lack of zeal for the mass and the Eucharist. It’s a miracle, and we get to see, feel, taste, and participate in that miracle every day (if we wish or can). The Divine is with us, in us. It’s hard to put into words. It was only in partaking in the Eucharist that this prayer came alive for me personally from St. Paul:
I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness. The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) have what most people would call a Communion Service once a year (they refer to it as “The Memorial”) on the anniversary of Jesus’ death as indicated on the Jewish calendar (14 Nissan). Since the JW believe that only 144,000 go to heaven only a very small percentage of people partake during the ceremony. Unleavened bread and red wine are passed from person to person where they are sitting or standing in the meeting hall (called a Kingdom Hall). Each person is given the opportunity to take or pass the bread and wine. If anyone partakes, the attendant’s record who did and the numbers are forwarded to the central office for record keeping and reporting (News letters come out after and say how many attended world wide, how many partook, etc.). I never partook of the bread and wine in the JW memorial as I was taught I was not going to heaven, so I was ineligible to partake.
Fast forward to now: There is a poster here who’s name I cannot recall but he has/had a fantastic picture in his signature block of a priest bowing before a huge altar cross while holding the consecrated host and above the cross heaven opens, an angel holds aloft the host to the glory of the Presence of God as depicted as rays of light descending from heaven down to the alter where the priest is bowing. I just love that pic, it is exactly what I had pictured in my head and someone painted it. At every mass I kneel in anticipation of the moment of consecration. Christ is coming, Christ is coming … then He arrives. He is here! I wish I could export my feelings and ideas into people that have voiced to me their lack of zeal for the mass and the Eucharist. It’s a miracle, and we get to see, feel, taste, and participate in that miracle every day (if we wish or can). The Divine is with us, in us. It’s hard to put into words. It was only in partaking in the Eucharist that this prayer came alive for me personally from St. Paul:
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Pixie_Dust
Guest
I was Independent, Fundamental, Pre-millenial, KJV Baptist for 13 years, from age 19-32. Communion was on the last Sunday evening service of the month, unless somebody forgot it was their turn to buy grape juice and then it was just put off until the next month. Even though it was a somber, solemn time of reflection and remembrance, it didn’t and couldn’t even touch what happens at the Eucharist. In the Eucharist the very Spirit of God changes our ordinary bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. The bread and wine don’t “represent” His Body and Blood, they ARE His Body and Blood.
Indeed, it was Jesus’ words in John 6 that sent me hurtling over the edge of the proverbial cliff into the Real Presence camp. I was still attending a Baptist church with my dh at the time, and I remember hearing a Sunday School teacher claim that when the disciples said, “This is a hard saying” that they were reacting to something other than Jesus’ repeated exhortation to “eat my flesh and drink my blood.”
It was the most blatant twisting and/or ignoring of Scriptures I’d ever heard in my life, other than the teaching that being “born again” means “to ask Jesus into your heart.” 
Then I glanced down at the Sunday School workbook and couldn’t believe my eyes. 
There was a slam against the beliefs of the ancient and Catholic Church right there in black and white. 
We weren’t there much longer after that.All that to say, YES. It’s a totally different experience if you believe that you’re receiving the Lord Himself into your body and not just remembering his death while eating bread and drinking juice.
K
KarenElissa
Guest
I think this is one way that we, as converts, are so lucky. This is new for us, and after doing all the “work” to sort everything out and become Catholic, and having to wait patiently, when we get to this point now, it is so incredibly exciting!
Each week I kneel there and watch and listen and the only emotion that I can possibly express is total AWE! I’m so amazed and grateful that God has chosen to come to us in this way! What a privilege it is! :extrahappy: :heaven:
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DDClark
Guest
The images and description in your post were wonderful. Thank you
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AlegreFe
Guest
"mercygate:
I believe many converts also feel this. They have that gift from the Holy Spirit. Converts sometimes have what we cradle Catholics do not have. Even with all the knowledge that we could possibly have, those converts might “feel” something that some cradle Catholics sometimes cannot feel.
Yes the knowledge might come first and that helps but there’s nothing like having that certain feeling when you receive Jesus.
Of course having that knowledge helps when those “feelings” do not come. That is when our faith has to be ever more strong.
Sword Brethren:
This is true but you cannot underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit when He allows you to “feel” something when you receive Jesus. I experience this myself many times.
I believe many converts also feel this. They have that gift from the Holy Spirit. Converts sometimes have what we cradle Catholics do not have. Even with all the knowledge that we could possibly have, those converts might “feel” something that some cradle Catholics sometimes cannot feel.
Yes the knowledge might come first and that helps but there’s nothing like having that certain feeling when you receive Jesus.
Of course having that knowledge helps when those “feelings” do not come. That is when our faith has to be ever more strong.
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mercygate
Guest
I could not agree with you more. It would be like marriage without the magic. It’s possible but something big would be missing.
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Writer
Guest
It is infinitely more fulfilling now than as a Protestant, since the Eucharist is the body, soul, and divinity of Christ. Although the Protestant churches we attended meant well, they did not understand what communion was/is. In one Lutheran Brethern church, in particular, communion was held after the end of the service about once a month–almost like an afterthought. As C.S. Lewis pointed out in one of his books or essays, taking communion is one of the few things Christians communities are actually commanded by Christ to specificaly do. (He put it better than I am, of course.)
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water
Guest
Here is a 6 year old girl’s letter to Jesus
nennolina.it/let_gesueucaristia_EN.htm
She is on her way to Sainthood:
zenit.org/article-21327?l=english
nennolina.it/let_gesueucaristia_EN.htm
She is on her way to Sainthood:
zenit.org/article-21327?l=english
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AlegreFe
Guest
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This is strange. There is nothing Holy about someone going to the store, buying some grape juice but sometimes forgets it so it’s no big deal, they just put it off for next time. That is something that could never happen in the Catholic Church. Mass is celebrated every single day and not one time is the Liturgy of the Eucharist just skipped. Except of course for Good Friday which is another story.
Pixie Dust:
Oh good, at least they had a time of reflection. But I would have to agree with you that it wouldn’t even come close to what happens at Mass. I don’t know from experience of course, but I know someone who thinks they get the same thing in their church that we have in our Mass. They really need to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit because they have no idea.
Pixie Dust:
AMEN!
Pixie Dust:
HuhIndeed, it was Jesus’ words in John 6 that sent me hurtling over the edge of the proverbial cliff into the Real Presence camp. I was still attending a Baptist church with my dh at the time, and I remember hearing a Sunday School teacher claim that when the disciples said, “This is a hard saying” that they were reacting to something other than Jesus’ repeated exhortation to “eat my flesh and drink my blood.”
I’ve never heard that one. Most of the time the pro’s that I know have no answer for that one. And you’re right, it is a twisting and/or ignoring of Scriptures.Pixie Dust:
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!Then I glanced down at the Sunday School workbook and couldn’t believe my eyes.
Pixie Dust:
I’m so glad to hear conversion stories like this. It gives me hope for two of the members of my family. They fell away from the Church many years ago and I pray for their return all the time.
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Stephen_C
Guest
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AlegreFe
Guest
It’s so great to “feel” your enthusiasm! It picks me up too to hear stories such as yours. Thank you so very much for your (name removed by moderator)ut and thank you so much for being Catholic. We need more members like you to liven things up at times when needed.I think this is one way that we, as converts, are so lucky. This is new for us, and after doing all the “work” to sort everything out and become Catholic, and having to wait patiently, when we get to this point now, it is so incredibly exciting!
btw, I love those smilies, they crack me up!
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water
Guest
Thanks, it might seem to be off topic. But if you read the letter, you might see how God had reveiled to this little one about the Eucharist.
"Dear Jesus Eucharist I love You so much!..really very much!.. "
…nennolina.it/let_gesueucaristia_EN.htm
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water
Guest
I agreed. This kind of feelings seem to occur at the begining of your spiritual journey. As you are more into your belief; faith becomes more important than the feeling.
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