Is this acceptable at Mass?

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emil2804

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My wife has a written list of many people she prays for. There are one or two close family members who are at the top of her list.
During consecration at the Eucharist, she places those close people in the chalice while the priest raises the chalice. Then, just before communion, when we say the prayer “Lord I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word and I will be healed”, she substitutes “we” for “I”. I mentioned once to her that it may not be correct for us to change the word here because at that moment we personally declare our own unworthiness and cannot do so for someone else. However, I am not sure if what she is doing is right or wrong.
 
emil2804 said:
My wife has a written list of many people she prays for. There are one or two close family members who are at the top of her list.
During consecration at the Eucharist, she places those close people in the chalice while the priest raises the chalice. Then, just before communion, when we say the prayer “Lord I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word and I will be healed”, she substitutes “we” for “I”. I mentioned once to her that it may not be correct for us to change the word here because at that moment we personally declare our own unworthiness and cannot do so for someone else. However, I am not sure if what she is doing is right or wrong.
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I am surprised that the priest allows her to place the note into the Chalise, personally I do not really find the other issue a problem. Replacing the “I” with “we” seems okay.
 
I actually think both appear to be a problem. It is certainly commendable that your wife prays regularly for certain people and even remembers them during the consecration, however holding up a piece of paper over the chalice or something similar doesn’t make the prayer that much stronger and God doesn’t notice it more or less. I wonder if other parishoners are distracted by this, when they should be focused on Christ’s true presence in the chalice and not something else.

As lay people we have no right to change the wording of prayers and responses during Mass. Many people get upset when the priest ad libs or changes things around to suit his tastes so why not hold ourselves to that same standard. The texts used during Mass are translated by a proper ecclesial authority and the whole text and not just the parts said by the priest are approved for use. We do not have the right to change the "I’ to “we,” even if we think it makes the prayer that much more special.

I think your wife should keep fervently praying for all those people on the list, God certainly hears her prayers, but the thing with the prayer list and chalice is probably very distracting and changing wording of prayers during Mass is wrong.

ChadS
 
emil2804 said:
My wife has a written list of many people she prays for. There are one or two close family members who are at the top of her list.
During consecration at the Eucharist, she places those close people in the chalice while the priest raises the chalice. Then, just before communion, when we say the prayer “Lord I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word and I will be healed”, she substitutes “we” for “I”. I mentioned once to her that it may not be correct for us to change the word here because at that moment we personally declare our own unworthiness and cannot do so for someone else. However, I am not sure if what she is doing is right or wrong.
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What do you mean by this, “places” them in the chalice?

It should be “I”. Reception of the Eucharist is not a communal activity, in the sense that it is us individually who each receive our Lord, although we do celebrate it as a community. She is not going to receive for the benefit of the other people on her list, but for herself alone. In addition, the words are based on scripture, and do not carry the sense of “we”.

It’s fine to pray for others before and after our participation in the Eucharist, but our reception is for ourselves.
 
emil2804 said:
My wife has a written list of many people she prays for. There are one or two close family members who are at the top of her list.
During consecration at the Eucharist, she places those close people in the chalice while the priest raises the chalice.
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The meaning of the bolded portion is not clear. What kind of “chalice” is it? For that matter, what kind of Mass is it? :confused:
 
I am really sorry about the misunderstanding. When I said she places them, I mean, he does so in her mind. Not physically or a paper or anything. I think it was something she read in the past that prompted her to start this practice. That is her way of placing those people at Jesus’ feet.
And since she has placed them in the chalice for the Lord to heal, she includes them when she asks for healing.
By the way, my wife and I go for Mass everyday.
 
emil2804 said:
, when we say the prayer “Lord I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word and I will be healed”, she substitutes “we” for “I”. I mentioned once to her that it may not be correct for us to change the word here because at that moment we personally declare our own unworthiness and cannot do so for someone else. .
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she can pray as she wishes and it is fine to bring them to Christ this way, but we really don’t have to right to tell God a third party is not worthy and ask forgiveness for him. your understanding of this prayer is correct, it is recited sotto voce and is intended to acknowledge our own unworthiness to receive him in communion at that moment, and since the other person is not receiving, not appropriate to use any other pronoun than “I”. You have expressed your viewpoint there is little to gain in starting an argument about it.
 
I think what she actually does is use I the first time while acknowledging unworthiness but says we when speaking about healing.
 
I wouldn’t recommend that she change the words of her response, but I find her intention laudable and good. Perhaps she could “offer her Communion” for those people? (That is, when she receives Holy Communion, she does it with those people in mind specifically, as her intention for receiving.) She could even say a prayer of spiritual Communion for them in addition to receiving the Eucharist.

But I wouldn’t advocate changing the words of our common responses to suit my own particular devotion.
 
emil2804 said:
I think what she actually does is use I the first time while acknowledging unworthiness but says we when speaking about healing.
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She should not do that. If she reads it in context of the Eucharist she will see that the prayer is only about her when she says it. What does one do after that is said? One receives communion. One receives Jesus.

“I am not worthy to receive You” - meaning Jesus
“Just say the word and I will be healed” – meaning at that point one is actually worthy to receive Jesus into one’s body in the form of the Eucharist.

This is not a prayer for healing sickness or for lost souls or for those that need prayer. This is a personal prayer about ones own worth to receive Jesus into one’s own body.

And visualizing putting things into the chalice is a bit strange (for want of a better word) In the same manner that we are not worthy to receive Jesus until he give the word, we are not to put a piece of paper into a cup of His blood. To me it seems very disrespectful. If your wife wants to remember her people to Jesus I think she would be better served to say a prayer and light a candle or go to Adoration and speak to Jesus about what is on her mind.
 
emil2804 said:
My wife has a written list of many people she prays for. There are one or two close family members who are at the top of her list.
During consecration at the Eucharist, she places those close people in the chalice while the priest raises the chalice. Then, just before communion, when we say the prayer “Lord I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word and I will be healed”, she substitutes “we” for “I”. I mentioned once to her that it may not be correct for us to change the word here because at that moment we personally declare our own unworthiness and cannot do so for someone else. However, I am not sure if what she is doing is right or wrong.
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I think it should remain “I” as it is about us at that point (I am receiving communion) in the mass. I personally ask Jesus for help during the 3 times the bells ring during the consecration. I don’t remember the source, but I believed it to be a good source, that said God is very open to our prayers at that point of the mass. I typically say “My Lord and my God. Please help …” In the end I think our Lord clearly understands your great intention and will give you what is best for you and the person you pray for. The most important thing is to pray from your heart as you do already. If more people went to mass and prayed our world would be a better place. I say keep up the great work. Amen
 
Although I understand the response and tend to agree, I am wondering however, how is this any different than a Mass being offered for the intentions of someone else?
 
cctabb said:
we are not to put a piece of paper into a cup of His blood. To me it seems very disrespectful.
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I think I already clarified there is no piece of paper involved at all. She just visualizes placing the person in the chalice.
cctabb said:
If your wife wants to remember her people to Jesus I think she would be better served to say a prayer and light a candle or go to Adoration and speak to Jesus about what is on her mind.
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Oh everyday after Mass we both spend time in personal prayer in the Eucharistic chapel.
As part of this prayer time we pray for many intentions. We are both deeply involved in ministry restoring marriage to its rightful place and we pray for those whose marriages are in trouble specially due to the scourge of alcohol. The one she places in the chalice is a person very close to her.
Incidentally, there has already been much progress in the life of this person and his family. We did spend a lot of time counseling them as well but the prayers seem to work better.
 
This is pure heresy and should be handled by excommunication…Just kidding:D Although i agree that it was not appropiate to do that but im sure it wasn’t done on purpose
Just don’t do it again!
 
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