In the presence of God

[peace2u2]

There have been a couple of time when I have been in a non-denominational church and also a Protesant church and have not felt the presence of God, it just felt like just an ordinary place, yet whenever I enter the Catholic Church, anywhere and at anytime, the presence of God is very strong?

 

[wmscott]

There have been a couple of time when I have been in a non-denominational church and also a Protesant church and have not felt the presence of God, it just felt like just an ordinary place, yet whenever I enter the Catholic Church, anywhere and at anytime, the presence of God is very strong?

I know what you are feeling and have experienced it to some degree also. However, we must remember that these are our Protestant brothers and sisters and are Christians. It is the style and attitude to varying degrees in the way they worship that is different to the way Catholics do. For example I see Catholic Mass as approaching the Throne of God with a repentant heart to hear His Word, ask for forgiveness, and to receive Christ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity through Holy Communion. Most Protestants seem to approach God in more of a fellowship and praise style of approach because as Sacred Scripture states, where two or more are gathered in My name, I am with your. It is important to remember that the Catholic Church teaches the following:

818 “However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”

819 “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements."Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”

Peace

 

[Publisher]

I have experienced the Presence of God as I’ve sat in Meeting in a very profound and deep way…entering into the “Living Silence” is something I long to return to over and over…I have had “Meeting” in a train station…airport terminal…on a busy freeway…in most houses of worship I have attended…including Buddhist, Mormon, Christian Science, Catholic, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal to name a few.

As a Friend, I do not believe any building or place is more holy than my living room…or the grocery store. God’s Presence fills the earth and there is no place He cannot be experienced.

I do not believe God is “more present” in a “building made with hands” than He is on a busy freeway or a crowded sidewalk…in fact…He is probably MORE Present where the need is greatest…but any time we “shift our awareness” and “prepare our hearts” to “listen” and “see”…then He is Present.

 

[GaryTaylor]

We all have Souls, there is no-one anywhere absent of this. All Souls belong to God. All Souls long to be complete through God. God longs to be present in your Soul. The long sought after “communion” with mankind. By Gods own creation, nonetheless.

Understanding this and completing the steps to obtain this is an entirely different issue.

You can “feel” the presence of God all around. And its is a very real presence. Many feel this immediately in youth and consciousness. Through nature, animals, people and church. You can even come closer to God through contemplative Prayer and reading. Or a “Prayer of the Quiet” as St.Teresa of Avila speaks of.

There are different levels of reality as to how one experiences God. There are living Mystics in the church. Visionaries, and then there are those who relate to God on even a deeper level or a corporeal level. This isn’t common, and who immediately comes to mind is Sr Lucy of Fatima. Its a transmission of supernatural teaching and visions directly from God. Transporting an ordinary conscious and communicating a transcendent knowledge of Divine Truth. And it occurs as God wills it to, not as you will it. Its been around since “time” been here. If you can’t accept it, the responsibility of understanding it still remains in your lap. Doesn’t change truth. Look at Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Daniel.

The path to God is for all to travel. Where you stop and along the path becomes your perogative through free-will. Your only limited by “self”. The Bible clearly states, as you believe so it will be. People dismiss that as nonsense, jibberish. Thats the Word of God directly spoken to man.

Born into sin and acknowledging this is one thing. Giving yourself permission to travel a path of sin is very different. God is all Mercy, if not I couldn’t for the life of me begin to understand why He tolerated me, for as long as He did.

To understand sin it to understand the task of striving to diminish it to nothing. My point being that living in a state if sin will place you at odds with finding the presence of God.

 

[Marsha_Adams]

There have been a couple of time when I have been in a non-denominational church and also a Protesant church and have not felt the presence of God, it just felt like just an ordinary place, yet whenever I enter the Catholic Church, anywhere and at anytime, the presence of God is very strong?

Was the sanctuary empty? I have walked into empty churches of various denominations and the it was just that an empty room - a big beautiful clearly religious room, but still just an empty room. I have never walked into a Catholic sanctuary and been in an empty room. You could always feel the presence of Jesus in the Sacrament, you are never alone in a Catholic Church.

 

[Sufjon]

We all have Souls, there is no-one anywhere absent of this. All Souls belong to God. All Souls long to be complete through God. God longs to be present in your Soul. The long sought after “communion” with mankind. By Gods own creation, nonetheless.

Understanding this and completing the steps to obtain this is an entirely different issue.

You can “feel” the presence of God all around. And its is a very real presence. Many feel this immediately in youth and consciousness. Through nature, animals, people and church. You can even come closer to God through contemplative Prayer and reading. Or a “Prayer of the Quiet” as St.Teresa of Avila speaks of.

There are different levels of reality as to how one experiences God. There are living Mystics in the church. Visionaries, and then there are those who relate to God on even a deeper level or a corporeal level. This isn’t common, and who immediately comes to mind is Sr Lucy of Fatima. Its a transmission of supernatural teaching and visions directly from God. Transporting an ordinary conscious and communicating a transcendent knowledge of Divine Truth. And it occurs as God wills it to, not as you will it. Its been around since “time” been here. If you can’t accept it, the responsibility of understanding it still remains in your lap. Doesn’t change truth. Look at Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Daniel.

The path to God is for all to travel. Where you stop and along the path becomes your perogative through free-will. Your only limited by “self”. The Bible clearly states, as you believe so it will be. People dismiss that as nonsense, jibberish. Thats the Word of God directly spoken to man.

Born into sin and acknowledging this is one thing. Giving yourself permission to travel a path of sin is very different. God is all Mercy, if not I couldn’t for the life of me begin to understand why He tolerated me, for as long as He did.

To understand sin it to understand the task of striving to diminish it to nothing. My point being that living in a state if sin will place you at odds with finding the presence of God.

Beautifully said Gary.

Your friend
Sufjon