Lovely Devotions

[Asiyreh]

Hi guys. I’ve been back in The Church for a few weeks now. I’m having a bit of a love affair with her that I didn’t expect.

Confession to make… I missed Mass on Sunday, though in my defence it wasn’t my own fault. Measures are in place to prevent this happening again.

However a strange thing happened as a result. I decided I would go to Mass instead tonight, attending confession first of course. So I did and got to meet our new priest, lovely guy Father Gormley. After confession onto mass which was exceptionally beautiful for a Monday night???

Three priests and a whole choir of young people?

So during the mass the priest exposed the mystery of the matter. The blessing of the throats.
The priest ended the mass and invited anyone who wanted to attend to stay on for the blessing and afterwards these young people, who were doing an award, were going to be giving some devotion to the blessed sacrament.

Now you’ve got to understand to my still part protestant brain, this is like… straying into non cafeteria areas! Alert alert… but I was intrigued.

Well… how beautiful was that. The chapel was just like quiet for 10 mins the incense burning. The lights dimmed I just closed my eyes and began to pray. It was like the most sense of stillness. in a long long time. Possibly ever…
I came home and lucky the house was empty. I’d usually turn on the Tv and watch something but I didn’t. I just sat there, perfectly at peace. Now if you knew my brain, it’s like running 90 million miles a minute and asks more questions than an annoying 5 year old Harry Potter look a like.

But nothing it was like - the timelessness of heaven. Just for a little second.

I know as long time Catholics many of you may be bored to tears of the ritual. But just stop and think sometimes, and remember such love affairs as mine.

To keep this thread apologetically based, sorry I’m most comfortable with apologists. So to keep things in line. I think as apologists we can be often bogged down in the logic of a thing. Or some scriptural issue, textual criticism, whatever. And those things have their place.

But speaking to myself here almost, I think it’s important that we explain to others beyond our walls, the love we have for the mysteries of The Church. Very beautiful night. Thanks mom.

 

[DavidFilmer]

Thanks for your story! I’m a convert, and, in a way, I feel sorry for cradle Catholics. It’s hard to really appreciate what a great gift Our Lord has given us if you have been accustomed to it since birth. It’s easy to take it for granted, just as we do for so many other blessings.

I work with an immigrant from India. He told me, “you have no idea how good you have it.” And he’s right.

 

[Asiyreh]

Thanks David. I actually am a cradle Catholic, believe it or not. But it was more a case of “dobbing mass” (skipping mass?) around the back steps. Smoking a few cigarettes then getting a bulletin on the way home.

Sure I always knew there was a God but when I had my “born again” experience (excuse the expression perhaps we use a different one? Experiencing the Holy Spirit perhaps?
Anyways, that happened when I was older, had stopped attending mass.
It happened after I began to dig into the bible, under evangelical and more often than not anti Catholic direction.

But now looking at the Church with renewed vision. And just the peace and sense of prayerfulness that she can achieve. Then it almost feels like coming home for the first time.

 

[pablope]

Hi guys. I’ve been back in The Church for a few weeks now. I’m having a bit of a love affair with her that I didn’t expect.

Three priests and a whole choir of young people?

So during the mass the priest exposed the mystery of the matter. The blessing of the throats.
The priest ended the mass and invited anyone who wanted to attend to stay on for the blessing and afterwards these young people, who were doing an award, were going to be giving some devotion to the blessed sacrament.

Well… how beautiful was that. The chapel was just like quiet for 10 mins the incense burning. The lights dimmed I just closed my eyes and began to pray. It was like the most sense of stillness. in a long long time. Possibly ever…
I came home and lucky the house was empty. I’d usually turn on the Tv and watch something but I didn’t. I just sat there, perfectly at peace. Now if you knew my brain, it’s like running 90 million miles a minute and asks more questions than an annoying 5 year old Harry Potter look a like.

But nothing it was like - the timelessness of heaven. Just for a little second.

I know as long time Catholics many of you may be bored to tears of the ritual. But just stop and think sometimes, and remember such love affairs as mine.

But speaking to myself here almost, I think it’s important that we explain to others beyond our walls, the love we have for the mysteries of The Church. Very beautiful night. Thanks mom.

What…us long time catholics get bored? Are you kidding…it is anecdotes such as yours that keep us long time catholics inspired…that keep us ponder and say…well…i have not gone to Benediction for awhile…I need to find the schedule for that in the bulletin…

When I read Scott Hahn’s story in Rome Sweet Home…he said…you catholics…you do not know what gift you have in the Eucharist…and you take it for granted…this hit be like a lightning bolt…and this caused me to look with more vigor at the Eucharist.

Keep telling us your stories…you do not know but you may be inspiring others with your enthusiasm…