Why? What’s wrong with smiling? Just don’t make a scene (Hallelujah! Praaaiiiiise the LOORRD! Amen brother, go preachhit! AYYYMEN! HHALeLUUUjah).
That cracked me right up. But that is pretty much how I feel, but I hold that in. Way too disruptive for Mass. It’s ironic because the seeking emotion thing that I found in a lot of protestant churches is one of the things I originally loved about Catholicism. It’s a quiet, reverent spirituality. Haha, now I’m full of joy.
:extrahappy: Maybe. I was talking to some cradle Catholics about protestants and they were saying that in a way protestants don’t know Jesus, at least not as well as Catholics, because they’ve never met him face to face in the Eucharist. I find that very difficult to understand because even though I feel in awe almost during the consecration, I can’t say I’ve ever felt a difference between taking communion in a Catholic church and taking communion in the protestant church I grew up in (I don’t take communion at protestant churches anymore, of course). I don’t really know what they mean by meeting Jesus in the Eucharist. I dunno why.
It is impossible to know whether someone else has met Christ. I think some confuse the Lord’s promise that He will be in the Eucharist with the assumption that He cannot be anywhere else but there. I have of late grown in appreciation for the wisdom of an old Orthodox friend of mine - “We do not say where the Holy Spirit is not, only that He is most fully here.”Maybe. I was talking to some cradle Catholics about protestants and they were saying that in a way protestants don’t know Jesus, at least not as well as Catholics, because they’ve never met him face to face in the Eucharist. I find that very difficult to understand because even though I feel in awe almost during the consecration, I can’t say I’ve ever felt a difference between taking communion in a Catholic church and taking communion in the protestant church I grew up in (I don’t take communion at protestant churches anymore, of course). I don’t really know what they mean by meeting Jesus in the Eucharist. I dunno why.
From the responses I’ve been getting here I’d say nothing is wrong with it. I just didn’t want to be disrespectful or something during Mass and I want to fit in.
That is beautiful!
Of course there is nothing wrong with it. It most likely is the Holy Spirit pouring His grace into you. I’ve had experiences like this–why deny the Holy Spirit?? This is a blessing. Thank God for it.
If you don’t mind sharing, what were your experiences like this like?
I understand what you’re saying, Mass is a celebration and we should be so happy to be free from the chains of death, but grinning and bubbling with joy during Mass is like grinning and bubbling with joy at the foot of the Cross. Is that really appropriate?? Mass is the memorial of a death, and not just any death but Jesus Christ’s. Is it really appropriate to be joyful at an occasion like that? I don’t think so.
This is a very one-sided take on the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary. Mass is not a mourn-fest; it is indeed joyful. At Mass, his Death, Resurrection, Ascension and Coming Again in Glory are all made present. At Mass, the entire mystery of our salvation is made present and Christ is present, entire and alive on the altar. Why would this not be a source of great joy? At Mass, we are indeed at Calvary, but we are also in heaven, along with the heavenly host where the joy is unending and the Lamb is standing alive but as if slain. Even in heaven his death is present but no one’s sad over it. The host of heaven in fact never stops singing to the Lamb who was slain. It’s not only appropriate, it is proper to be joyful.
How could I be unaware of a perma-smile even if I’m not focusing on myself during Mass? My face eventually starts hurting.
Wow it seems I’ve really offended you. I really didn’t intend any judgement on anyone else at Mass. Because of what I can see other people doing, how the priest responds to me and my person experience of feeling joy and a constant smile, I would have to have my head in the sand to not realize that I’m acting differently than others. I know it doesn’t mean they’re doing anything wrong. I’m sorry I offended you, I’ll try to watch my wording next time. I don’t know what religious ecstasy feels like, what I feel is full of joy and imo those are two different things.
GO FOR IT!
**Don’t. This is the HOLY SPIRIT speaking. Please, don’t tone it down. You aren’t a freak. Loads of people all express emotions at the Holy SACRIFICE. Some break into tears of contrition at times (Me), Some break into tears of Joy at being able to recieve Our LORD in the MOST HOLY EUCHARIST, and Some are beside themselves with Joy. Unless You are being a distraction, I would not tone it down, but thank the HOLY SPIRIT for giving me the spirit of Joy and Consolation!!