Protestant communion four times per year

[MarkBrown]

One of the reasons its not a weekly event in every protestant church is that there is always a fear that something becomes rote and done with little thought. Breaking up the pattern makes one pause for a moment to consider.

When I was a Baptist that is what I heard and as a minister said. But why does it not apply to sermons, prayers, Sunday services, Sunday School, hymns, Training unions, Wednesday night, on and on and on. All of these became rote to me, as a Baptist I started every prayer the same. As a minister, when I called on someone to pray, I knew what they would say for almost the entire prayer.

Since anything can and does become rote and done with little thought in protestant, catholic and orthodox services…what is done to combat it. Can the creed in the Lutheran service become rote…so let’s not say it. What about the comfortable words in the Anglican Mass. And let’s pick anything in a protestant? Special music, same singer, for the offering. Same hymns over and over. Same preaching style, type jokes in the sermon or not.

do we need new inovations every week? Or do we need to focus on the object of worship…the Triune God. How often did the Children of Israel change worship methods from Moses to Christ or now. Is the innovations for God or for us? Can reading the Bible become rote? I have had additional insight or teachings each time I read the scripture. Raises another questions…how to judge the insight or teaching? Myself, with scholars, the church.

No accusations at all for any. I include myself in this post. Just throwing out food for thought.

Fr. Mark

 

[Dokimas]

“This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

A collective circadian amnesia perhaps?

God bless

In Luke 22 and in 1 Corinthians 11 where your quote comes from, you missed the other half — the cup. Protestant churches has bread AND the cup which ALL partake. I’m still wondering, if Jesus spoke of the bread and cup and so did Paul, why the average catholic gets the host, not the bread and cup?

 

[jmcrae]

In Luke 22 and in 1 Corinthians 11 where your quote comes from, you missed the other half — the cup. Protestant churches has bread AND the cup which ALL partake. I’m still wondering, if Jesus spoke of the bread and cup and so did Paul, why the average catholic gets the host, not the bread and cup?

First, when a Catholic receives under the appearance of bread alone, he is still receiving both the Body and the Blood of Christ, together with His Soul, Divinity, and Life, since these are all present together in the living Person of Christ, hidden in the likeness of bread.

Second, I would agree that there is certainly greater sign value in receiving under both species, and personally, I try to do so as often as possible - however, the reasons for not offering the Eucharist under both species all of the time are usually quite sound - for example, in areas where there is the possibility of profanation of the sacred species (for example, in a downtown church frequented by alcoholics; in a congregation where most of the parishioners are either very young or very old, with the attendant risk of spilling; where the congregation is too large to accommodate the number of chalices that would be needed, along with other good reasons.)

Most parishes nowadays offer the chalice at least on Sundays.

 

[KathleenGee]

Catholics can receive the Body and Blood of Jesus not just 4 times a year like the protestants, but 365 days of the year.

 

[Lutheranteach]

When I was a Baptist that is what I heard and as a minister said. But why does it not apply to sermons, prayers, Sunday services, Sunday School, hymns, Training unions, Wednesday night, on and on and on. All of these became rote to me, as a Baptist I started every prayer the same. As a minister, when I called on someone to pray, I knew what they would say for almost the entire prayer.

Since anything can and does become rote and done with little thought in protestant, catholic and orthodox services…what is done to combat it. Can the creed in the Lutheran service become rote…so let’s not say it. What about the comfortable words in the Anglican Mass. And let’s pick anything in a protestant? Special music, same singer, for the offering. Same hymns over and over. Same preaching style, type jokes in the sermon or not.

do we need new inovations every week? Or do we need to focus on the object of worship…the Triune God. How often did the Children of Israel change worship methods from Moses to Christ or now. Is the innovations for God or for us? Can reading the Bible become rote? I have had additional insight or teachings each time I read the scripture. Raises another questions…how to judge the insight or teaching? Myself, with scholars, the church.

No accusations at all for any. I include myself in this post. Just throwing out food for thought.

Fr. Mark

Because I do not get the same sermon, lesson. etc. every time. I have been in mass where even the supposedly devout Catholics admit it feels like a Eucharist factory and they wish, or feel, the mass really only needs to last 10 minutes perhaps. Just give me my Eucharist and get me out of here because that’s all that really matters.

 

[lutherlic]

Because I do not get the same sermon, lesson. etc. every time. I have been in mass where even the supposedly devout Catholics admit it feels like a Eucharist factory and they wish, or feel, the mass really only needs to last 10 minutes perhaps. Just give me my Eucharist and get me out of here because that’s all that really matters.

Lutheranteach, I really don’t think the word “devout” would apply to such a person. This would be like an Apostle dropping in at the last supper, saying he has heard this before, is in a rush and ask for the Eucharist to go. That is not the thinking I have seen from faithful Catholics.

When we participate in Mass, we are not only worshiping, but are in the physical presence of Our Lord. We are at a place and time where heaven joins us on earth. The sacrifice on Calvary is not a history lesson but present right now. We literally unite our bodies with Christ, receiving strength and graces for our lives in Him. Faithful Catholics are humbled and in awe!

 

[guanophore]

I erroneously thought I wanted to be catholic again. I panicked because I had a severe reaction to my meds where my eyes got blurry so I posted many places for prayer

Had you considered that the HS is drawing you to correct the vast misunderstandings you have about the Catholic faith?