How do we feel what we know?

[Nordar]

I think a big part of my point is being missed here. I am not looking for “feel good” feelings. I am looking for “feeling Jesus” when I receive the eucharist. I always thought it should be more than the wafer and the wine. I thought it should be a feeling in my heart that doesn’t need to be outward but inward.

No I understand perfectly what you are saying! I think you are getting upset at the answers here when no one is trying to upset you.

Let me say though I do have a problem with you describing it as “more than just the wafer and the wine”. Perhaps that is were your problem is, is is not “just wafer and wine” it is “The Body and Blood of Christ”. He is giving Himself as a gift to us, We, are not worthy to recieve him.

What I meant by any feel good emotions on Our part, is exactly what you said, looking for a feeling in your heart. You have just recieved The Body and Blood of Christ how Awesome is that? You are not even worthy, Jesus is so Happy you came to his supper. Just know that God loves you.

 

[LoverofChrist]

No I understand perfectly what you are saying! I think you are getting upset at the answers here when no one is trying to upset you.

Let me say though I do have a problem with you describing it as “more than just the wafer and the wine”. Perhaps that is were your problem is, is is not “just wafer and wine” it is “The Body and Blood of Christ”. He is giving Himself as a gift to us, We, are not worthy to recieve him.

What I meant by any feel good emotions on Our part, is exactly what you said, looking for a feeling in your heart. You have just recieved The Body and Blood of Christ how Awesome is that? You are not even worthy, Jesus is so Happy you came to his supper. Just know that God loves you.

I wasn’t upset by any answer until last night. I am not looking for some explosive feeling. What I said from the beginning is that I “know” it is Jesus in the eucharist…body and blood!!! I absolutely know that. I don’t feel it though. That is what I am talking about. I guess I just wanted to feel what I know.

 

[Kissy]

Praise God you know what you know and continue in the faith. So many walk away because they don’t “feel” what they think they should feel. It doesn’t make the truth less true. You profess your belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, even though you may not “feel” His presence.

I am sure you know we must confess our sins before receiving the Eucharist. Our hearts must be right with God to receive the fullness of GRACE offered in the Eucharist.   1Cor 11:27-29 "Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.  A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eat and drinks judgment on himself." 

 Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart".  

 Just a suggestion:   Focus on praising and glorifying God in Adoration or in receiving the Eucharist.  It is a good lesson in DELIGHTING in Him, regardless of your personal trials or circumstances.   I believe that is what this scripture is about.  I believe He will give you the desires of your  heart!

 

[LilyM]

I think a big part of my point is being missed here. I am not looking for “feel good” feelings. I am looking for “feeling Jesus” when I receive the eucharist. I always thought it should be more than the wafer and the wine. I thought it should be a feeling in my heart that doesn’t need to be outward but inward.

Again, faith is not to be based on feelings - not even on ‘feeling Jesus’. Love and faith are acts of the will and intellect, not the emotions.

A husband and wife don’t always FEEL lovey-dovey towards each other. That sort of thing can’t be controlled and can’t be produced on demand either. Nor can one spouse be expected to manufacture the feeling in the other.

Some spouses never have that honeymoon emotional phase. But if they consciously decide to live together, support each other and work together for the good of both, that’s love and that’s a good marriage.

 

[LoverofChrist]

Again, faith is not to be based on feelings. Love and faith are acts of the will and intellect, not primarily the emotions.

A husband and wife don’t always FEEL lovey-dovey towards each other. That sort of thing can’t be controlled and can’t be produced on demand either. Some couples never have that honeymoon emotional phase.

But if they consciously decide to live together, support each other and work together for the good of both, that’s love and that’s a good marriage.

I am NOT looking to feel lovey-dovey or any of those other feelings. You keep relating back to married couples. I could see my husband and I knew he loved me. He could also reach out and touch me. I knew it was him touching me but I also felt him touching me. There in lies the difference. No, I don’t need to feel Jesus to believe in him…it would be nice. If I knew it was my husband touching me but couldn’t feel it…there would be something wrong with me. That was what I was wondering with the Eucharist. You seem to think I’m looking for something that I’m not. Please don’t read more into what I was asking. It leaves to much frustration for all of us.**

 

[jabelltulsa]

I know in my heart certain things like I know that Jesus is alive in the eucharist. I know that!!! How do I feel it though?? I go to communion and pray to feel it each time and it doesn’t happen. I know it but don’t feel it and it makes me wonder what is wrong with me. How do I get there? Is it because there is something in my life that interferes with that? I don’t know what it is but I sure have to wonder. I love Jesus very deeply and I want to feel him!!

I haven’t read this thread, but I felt compelled to write because it really hit home.

I would suggest this: Take a week, and go through your actions each one. Dig deep for the presence of sin. For the whole week, seek to understand your actions, and bring any sinful parts to the forefront. Do the same for your thoughts. Be very honest.

Then, once you have a week’s worth of your intentions and their subsequent actions, ensure you can set/schedule some time for a good confession with your priest.

Make that Confession, and really put your heart into the Act of Contrition. When you get Absolution, concentrate on what is being imparted to you by Christ through the priest.

Now, when the Consecration happens, believe in the miracle that is taking place. Contemplate what it took to bring that to you. See the Sacrifice that Christ has brought for us through His Passion. Receive the Host.

You may not feel any difference, but I impart to you that I have been in your shoes, and this has worked for me.

Know this: I am a lay person, and my words come to you from that position. I just want to communicate to you my thoughts on this.

The best advice, however, is to discuss this with your priest. He will give you much better advice than I can.

PS - I added this just now after reading what I wrote … Please don’t think that I am being critical of your past confessions. I do not mean to imply that at all.

I probably didn’t need to add this, but I just want to be critical of what I wrote, so as not to be bold.

 

[Jeanette_L]

I think a big part of my point is being missed here. I am not looking for “feel good” feelings. I am looking for “feeling Jesus” when I receive the eucharist. I always thought it should be more than the wafer and the wine. I thought it should be a feeling in my heart that doesn’t need to be outward but inward.

I think because you are using the word “feeling”, we have all been confused about what you are saying, because it implies emotion.

Are you more implying a physical presence being physically felt, rather than emotionally felt?

I’m not sure that any of us can say the we physically feel Christ when we receive Him in the Eucharist, again, we are believing it to be true, and that is based on our faith that He is truly there, but not on experiencing a physical presence.

When others imply that they feel close to Christ in the Eucharist, I do believe they are expressing a feeling as in an emotion. We will never really physically feel Christ until we are in His presence in Heaven.

Does this make sense?

 

[Nordar]

I am NOT looking to feel lovey-dovey or any of those other feelings. You keep relating back to married couples. I could see my husband and I knew he loved me. He could also reach out and touch me. I knew it was him touching me but I also felt him touching me. There in lies the difference. No, I don’t need to feel Jesus to believe in him…it would be nice. If I knew it was my husband touching me but couldn’t feel it…there would be something wrong with me. That was what I was wondering with the Eucharist. You seem to think I’m looking for something that I’m not. Please don’t read more into what I was asking. It leaves to much frustration for all of us.**

No it’s not frustration for us, not for me anyway I totally understand what Lily is saying she is equating both things perfectly.

In a marriage there are times although you deeply love your spouse you do not have those overwhelming lovey dovey feelings. You may not even feel anything but you still know you love them and they love you, it is the exact same thing when recieving The Eucharist. You are Recieving The Body and Blood because you love Christ because you do not have any kind of feelings, ( In your heart, physical, emotional or otherwise) means nothing. He still loves you! If you have no feelings then you are not meant to have them. God is the one in control here!

 

[LoverofChrist]

Let’s try it this way…what do each of you feel or experience when you receive the eucharist?

 

[LilyM]

Let’s try it this way…what do each of you feel or experience when you receive the eucharist?

Gratitude for His gifts, not just the Eucharist but everything He has given us and done for us, faith and hope that through it He will strengthen me for whatever is coming up in the future, prayerful and quiet …

 

[LilyM]

I am NOT looking to feel lovey-dovey or any of those other feelings. You keep relating back to married couples. I could see my husband and I knew he loved me. He could also reach out and touch me. I knew it was him touching me but I also felt him touching me. There in lies the difference. No, I don’t need to feel Jesus to believe in him…it would be nice. If I knew it was my husband touching me but couldn’t feel it…there would be something wrong with me. That was what I was wondering with the Eucharist. You seem to think I’m looking for something that I’m not. Please don’t read more into what I was asking. It leaves to much frustration for all of us.**

Earlier you said that our relationship with Christ is nothing like a normal human marriage - and yet you expect to feel Him touching you as you did with your husband? Sounds a mite inconsistent there.

There is nothing wrong with having no physical feelings or gut-wrenching emotion upon receiving the Eucharist. Nor should you expect such. They are totally not what the Eucharist is about.

 

[TOP]

Let’s try it this way…what do each of you feel or experience when you receive the eucharist?

Completed, Thankful I got through another week. On the way home from church, I have the thoughts of being recharged, rejuvenated for the up coming week. But, I’m starting to want the Eucharist during the week now. My parish has a sparse schedule for Mass during the week. This week, with the feast day, I’m looking forward to it. Tim

 

[LoverofChrist]

YOU are the one who said that our relationship with Christ is nothing like a normal human marriage - and yet you expect to feel Him touching you as you did with your husband? Talk about inconsistent!

That is NOT what I am saying at all!! I was using it as an example. I did not say our relationship with Christ was not like a normal human marriage. The is a strong relationship just not the full extent that you keep saying. Our relationship with Christ is so much more!!! Quit trying to put words in my mouth!!! You are trying to imply that I am inconsistent when you are saying that I am saying things that I am not. I have always loved this site but you make it impossible to share thoughts and feelings!!! You imply and you judge and I don’t need that. I wanted to talk to others who understand what I am saying. It apppears to me that you want to play the devils advocate and I truly am done playing your game now. If there is someone there that knows how…I want this thread deleted.

 

[LoverofChrist]

Completed, Thankful I got through another week. On the way home from church, I have the thoughts of being recharged, rejuvenated for the up coming week. But, I’m starting to want the Eucharist during the week now. My parish has a sparse schedule for Mass during the week. This week, with the feast day, I’m looking forward to it. Tim

That is beautiful and thank you!! Maybe I’m trying to find something different than what I thought I should be.

 

[pray4peace]

I know in my heart certain things like I know that Jesus is alive in the eucharist. I know that!!! How do I feel it though??

You don’t feel it, that is faith, not seeing or feeling, but knowing and accepting what Jesus has told us. Pray for strength in faith and God will give you what you need.

Blessings

 

[LoverofChrist]

If this thread is helping others, I will leave it. I see this site as a place to go for love, support and encouragement. We all have very genuine concerns and we should feel safe putting those out here. Thank you all that have such truly wonderful responses. God is speaking through all of you!!

 

[Nordar]

Let’s try it this way…what do each of you feel or experience when you receive the eucharist?

I am fortunate to be able to go to daily Mass and recieve The Eucharist Daily. I feel gratitude that I am first of all Catholic and truly can recieve The Body and Blood of Christ, I have Faith that each time I do recieve it will give me the strengh to live my Faith. Thankfull for all that God has given me mostly Himself!

 

[Kissy]

My preparation for receiving Jesus in Eucharist begins during the consecration of the Mass. Always meditating of the Passion (each of the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary), places me into a deep appreciation of what Jesus did and His actions of total humility and obedience to God, unto death.

When I receive the Eucharist, I am keenly aware of its’ COST. I usually have the image of the Divine Mercy in my head; with the rays of blood and water coming from His sacred heart. I give Jesus ALL of my problems and concerns, joys and sorrows at this time. In return, I ask Him to fill me with His Grace and Mercy so that I can become more like Him and less like me. I also surrender my will unto His at this time. When I leave Mass to begin my day in the “world” I have an inner peace that I know comes from Him to deal with “whatever” my day brings.

Fortunately, I have the privilege of going to daily Mass followed by the recitation of the rosary and chaplet of Divine mercy. My church also has 24/7 Adoration.